The Broken Spine - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

THE BROKEN SPINE by Dorothy St. James
The First Beloved Bookroom Mystery 

Books mean the world to assistant librarian Trudell Becket, so when the city manager decides to make the Cypress Public Library a bookless library, she devises a plan. Sneaking her friends into the library after hours, they transport as many of the books headed for the landfill down to the basement as possible in order to create a secret library of real books. A loud crash makes Tru realized they've worked too far into the morning. Quickly telling her friends to leave the library Tru heads upstairs to find the reason for the crash. What she finds is a multimedia shelving unit that has toppled over-right onto the city manager. The very dead city manager. Soon becoming a prime suspect, Tru realizes that in order to protect the books and her secret library, she'll have to prove her innocence and find the real murderer.

Trudell Becket is a hero! The quiet reserved assistant librarian who has been pretty invisible for most of her life has a mission. She will do everything in her power to save the town's books. And when it comes to her cat, Tru becomes a fierce momma bear! I love her transformation and her inner fire. It goes to prove you should never underestimate the quiet ones. I dislike her mother immensely and look forward to meeting her father. Of course, I adore Dewey and would happily supply him with toys if I could!

The first Beloved Bookroom Mystery is a story about growth and quiet rebellion. It has you rooting for the underdogs, the book lovers, and stalwart friends while wondering who dun it. There are several twists and turns that had me unsure of who I could trust.

THE BROKEN SPINE is a charming novel that kept me engaged with its well plotted mystery and unique cast of characters.

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

 The Broken Spine (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery) by Dorothy St. James

About The Broken Spine

The Broken Spine (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Berkley (January 19, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages

The first in an exciting new series featuring Trudell Becket, a spunky librarian who will stop at nothing to save her beloved books and catch a killer!

Trudell Becket, book-loving librarian, finds herself in a bind when the library where she works is turned into a state-of-the-art bookless library. In a rare move of rebellion, Trudell rescues hundreds of her library's beloved books slated for the recycle center. She sets up a secret book room in the library's basement and opens it to anyone who shares her love of the printed book.

When the town councilman, who was the vocal proponent of the library's transformation into a "futuristic technological center," is crushed under an overturned shelf of DVDs, Trudell becomes the police's prime suspect for his murder. She was the only person in the library at the time of his death, or so the police believe. But that's not true. For the past month, Trudell had been letting a few dozen residents into the building through the basement entrance so they could read and check out the printed books.

But if she tells the police about the backdoor patrons who were in the library at the time of the murder, she'd have to explain about the secret book room and risk losing the books. In order to protect herself from being arrested for a murder she didn't commit, Trudell--with the help of a group of dedicated readers--decides to investigate. She quickly discovers you can't always judge a book by its cover.

About Dorothy St. James

Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband, a crazy dog, and fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.

Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn't as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.

* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including: Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader's Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: "amazing", "perfect", "filled with emotion", and "lined with danger."

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.dorothystjames.com  

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dorothywrites 

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothy.stjames  

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/dorothy-st-james  

Purchase Links - Amazon - IndieBound - Bookshop - B&N -  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Case of the Canterfell Codicil - A Review

 Review

THE CASE OF THE CANTERFELL CODICIL by P. J. Fitzsimmons
The First Anty Boisjoly Mystery 

Anty Boisjoly has a knack for fixing things so it's no surprise when his old school chum, Fiddles Canterfell, asks him to come to Canterfell Hall when his uncle mysteriously dies. Pitting his wits against the police inspector investigating the crime, Anty looks to the servants, the family, guests, and a goat for clues to a locked room mystery...when another locked room mystery arises. Will Anty be able to deduce what really happened?

I'm not sure if THE CASE OF THE CANTERFELL CODICIL is a send up or a tribute to the golden age of detective fiction. Whatever the case, it's a very clever, extremely well plotted locked room mystery. 

The first Anty Boisjoly Mystery is a cerebral puzzle full of word play. The people here are superficial and there's not much character development, but lack of depth doesn't diminish the mystery here. I enjoyed the witty banter and the setting of a manor house whose gilded edge is somewhat tarnished in 1929 England.

THE CASE OF THE CANTERFELL CODICIL gives a wink and a nod to classic manor house mysteries and is an amusing step back in time.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James. This book is the first in the Beloved Bookroom Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Books mean the world to assistant librarian Trudell Becket, so when the city manager decides to make the Cypress Public Library a bookless library, she devises a plan. Sneaking her friends into the library after hours, they transport as many of the books headed for the landfill down to the basement as possible in order to create a secret library of real books. A loud crash makes Tru realized they've worked too far into the morning. Quickly telling her friends to leave the library Tru heads upstairs to find the reason for the crash. What she finds is a multimedia shelving unit that has toppled over-right onto the city manager. The very dead city manager. Soon becoming a prime suspect, Tru realizes that in order to protect the books and her secret library, she'll have to prove her innocence and find the real murderer.

A Side of Murder - Cover Reveal

A A Side of Murder (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery) by Amy Pershing

COMING FEBRUARY 23, 2021

   

READY . . .

                             

SET . . .

                                 

REVEAL . . .

                                 

 

A Side of Murder (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Berkley (February 23, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages

 Beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is known for seafood, sand, surf, and, now…murder.

Samantha Barnes was always a foodie. And when the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of America) came calling, she happily traded in Cape Cod for the Big Apple. But then the rising young chef’s clash with another chef (her ex!) boils over and goes viral. So when Sam inherits a house on the Cape and lands a job writing restaurant reviews, it seems like the perfect pairing. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, a lot.

The dilapidated house comes with an enormous puppy. Her new boss is, well, bossy. And the town’s harbormaster is none other than her first love. Nonetheless, Sam’s looking forward to reviewing the Bayview Grill—and indeed the seafood chowder is divine. But the body in the pond outside the eatery was not on the menu. Sam is certain this is murder. But as she begins to stir the pot, is she creating a recipe for her own untimely demise?

Pre-order Your Copy Today!

Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play - IndieBound

About Amy Pershing

Amy Pershing is a lifelong mystery lover and wordsmith. She was an editor, a restaurant reviewer, and a journalist before leading employee communications at a global bank. A few years ago (with the final college tuition bill paid), she waved goodbye to Wall Street to write full time (and spend more time sailing on the Cape!). A Side of Murder, the first of the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries, is her debut novel.

  

Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review

MURDER CAN HAUNT YOUR HANDIWORK by Rose Pressey
The Third Haunted Craft Fair Mystery

Leave it to Celeste's wacky family to get them thrown out of the Biltmore Estate. Although they don't mean any harm, her brothers and father can't help but bring chaos. Fortunately, Celeste is able to remain on the property to sell her paintings during the estate's craft fair. When she returns to the manor house to search for her keys, lost during her family's visit, she finds, not only her keys, but a dead body! With her paintings as clues and a ghost from the estate to help, Celeste doggedly investigates the murder. But will her desire to find the murderer be the death of her?

MURDER CAN HAUNT YOUR HANDIWORK is a cute mystery. Celeste Cabot has a cute retro trailer, in pink, and a cute Chihuahua named Van Gogh. (He is a sweet tempered Chihuahua too, not one of the yappy demons who would sooner nip than look at you.) Her truck is even pink, increasing the cuteness level. There is some danger and there are some unpleasant characters, but the cute factor far outweighs any drama.

My favorite parts of the story include Celeste's family. They had me laughing out loud at their antics. They may wreak havoc wherever they go, but their love and loyalty to each other also shines through. I also really liked the ghost, Mr. Vanderbilt. I loved how he helped Celeste investigate and enjoyed his comments about her suitors. I like both Pierce and Caleb and the rapport they have with each other, but I am not a fan of love triangles. I hope this one resolves quickly.

MURDER CAN HAUNT YOUR HANDIWORK is a light-hearted fun mystery. Plenty of laughs with a friendly paranormal twist make it a quick enjoyable read.

**************************************************************************
An Excerpt:

“Just tell them ‘no comment’,” Pierce said.

“This doesn’t sound good. Why do I have to say ‘no comment’? I had nothing to do with this,” I said.

“Nevertheless, they’ll ask questions.” Pierce projected an air of confidence that I hoped I could emulate.

“You don’t want to give them information that might jeopardize your case, right?” Caleb asked with a wink.

I scoffed. “Now you’re just mocking me.”

He chuckled. “Just trying to help.”

“I’m glad you’re getting amusement out of this, both of you,” I said.

They could poke fun all they wanted. I’d show them. I stood tall and pushed my shoulders back as we marched toward the crime scene tape. I couldn’t let this rattle me.

“Are you the one who found the body?” a dark-haired woman yelled as we crossed the tape.

How did she know? They found this stuff out so quickly. Someone must have blabbed. At least she hadn’t asked if I’d killed the woman. I didn’t even reply with a “no comment.” Instead, I didn’t utter a word. I kept my focus straight ahead. Smooth and confident, just like Pierce.

A couple other news people pushed microphones in my face. Caleb and Pierce shooed them away. I was proud of how calm I remained. I just wanted to escape the scene and get back to the safe haven of my trailer. I wanted to see Van. Perhaps I needed to leave the area for a while until all of this settled down. Chocolate cake was definitely called for. How would I tell my family about this?Could I keep it from them forever? Probably not. They had a way of finding things out.

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

 Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork (A Haunted Craft Fair Mystery) by Rose Pressey

About Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork

Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork (A Haunted Craft Fair Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (December 29, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages

A Gilded Age ghost helps psychic painter Celeste Cabot catch a killer . .

Rising up against the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Biltmore Estate is a magnificent mansion in Asheville, North Carolina, built as a summer home for George Washington Vanderbilt II—yes, of those Vanderbilts—during the Gilded Age. Nowadays, it’s the site of an annual craft fair. Unfortunately, it’s also about to become a crime scene . .

Celeste is hard to miss as she pulls up with her pink and white Shasta trailer and adorable Chihuahua, Van Gogh—Van for short. But before she can show off her artwork at the fair, a tour guide is found strangled by a velvet rope barrier and a valuable painting goes missing. With a rogues’ gallery of sketchy suspects, Celeste welcomes the help of a pair of handsome detectives—and a ghost with a special interest in the case . . .

Includes tips and recipes!

About Rose Pressey

 

Rose Pressey is the USA Today bestselling author of the Haunted Craft Fair Mysteries and the Haunted Vintage Mystery Series. She enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. The paranormal has always captured her interest. The thought of finding answers to the unexplained fascinates her.

When she’s not writing about werewolves, vampires, and every other supernatural creature, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties. Yeah, she loves Elvis. She can’t help myself.

Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky with her husband, son, and three sassy Chihuahuas.

Author Links: 

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorrosepressey  

Blog – itsvintageyall.blogspot.com  

Website – http://rosepressey.com/  

Twitter – https://twitter.com/rosepressey  

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bait and Witch - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Angela M. Sanders to Cozy Up with Kathy today. Angela writes the Witch Way Librarian Mystery series. BAIT AND WITCH is the first book in the series and was released December 29. 2020.

Kathy: Witness to corruption, librarian Josie Way moves to Oregon to await giving her testimony. Instead of lying low in her new home, however, she finds herself fighting to save her new library. Have you ever been caught up with a cause?

AMS: I’m always getting myself into trouble by speaking out! For a while, I was a professional at it by working for a congressional investigative agency, mostly on environmental and natural resource investigations. These days, I support animal shelters and spaying and neutering stray cats.


Kathy: I love Victorian homes and would adore having my library housed in one. Do you enjoy architecturally interesting libraries? Is Josie's new library based on a real one or is it your dream library?

AMS: I love old buildings, too, and am mesmerized by elaborate moldings, unusual light fixtures, and rooms that seem to have no purpose. There’s not much I like more than standing in an old house and imagining the lives that first occupied it—their clothing, family dinners, where they put the Christmas tree, and things like that.

Josie’s library, from cupola and tower to ground floor atrium, is based on a floor plan from a book of Victorian architectural drawings I found at Goodwill. I have a stack of books like that and love to leaf through them and imagine the buildings in their day.


Kathy: In BAIT AND WITCH Josie discovers she's descended from a long line of witches and that she has powers. I always wished that I could be like Samantha Stevens and clean my house with a twitch of my nose. What type of magical powers would you like to have?

AMS: I agree! I’d love to have my house clean and vacuum itself while I slept. That would be dreamy. I’d also like to be able to dispel some sort of “kindness gas” with my fingers. I’d wave my hands, and suddenly egos would drop away, and people would act compassionately toward each other. Oh! And I’d like to be able to talk to animals.


Kathy: There are witches and then there are witches. Do the witches in your first Witch Way Librarian Mystery follow a Wiccan or other traditional path or is the witchcraft your own brand created solely for this fictional world?

AMS: Josie practices folk magic. In her family, witches have both an affinity for a certain energy source for magic—Josie’s is books, and her grandmother’s was her garden, for instance—as well as a particular proclivity or skill. Josie is a truth teller and must see justice done. Her grandmother and two sisters are healers, and her mother sees the future.

Josie doesn’t follow the Wiccan traditions of casting circles, keeping an altar with particular altar tools, and celebrating traditional Wiccan holidays, for example. She does, however, pay attention to the moon’s cycles, and she senses the energy in nature, even if she doesn’t draw magic from it. For the novels, I’ve consulted with a local priestess about curses and land spirits, and I’ve done a fair amount of research into Scottish folk magic.


Kathy: Josie gets help from a spoiled alley cat. I have six cats at home who "help" me in various ways. One of whom may be a familiar. Do you have any felines?

AMS: I’m a longtime cat mama and currently have two cats: a chunky male tabby, Squeaky; and a sweet little black girl, Bitsy la Mouche. Despite being younger and smaller, Bitsy is the brains of the operation. Squeaky, named for his signature squeaking noises, specializes in lap warming and purring louder than a speedboat’s engine.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

AMS: I love humor, quirky characters, and puzzles, and I’m not a fan of gore for gore’s sake. I believe small towns hold all the drama and mystery of the world as a whole. Therefore, for me, writing light mystery, including cozies, was a no brainer.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AMS: For fiction, I write light mystery, and I’ve written two capers, which are “mystery adjacent” in my mind. I also write magazine articles, mostly on food and perfume, and I specialize in writing profiles.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AMS: As Alice Hoffman wrote, “Books are the only real magic.” (I love that quote.) In the Witch Way Librarian cozies, Josie Way’s magic comes from the energy and emotion that authors and readers have invested in books. In BAIT AND WITCH, Josie discovers that not only is she descended from a long line of witches, she’s an especially powerful witch with a bent for truth telling. It’s this quality that propels her to solve a murder and save the library.

I also write the Joanna Hayworth Vintage Clothing mysteries featuring a vintage clothing store owner in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.


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

AMS: I have a soft spot for Roz, the assistant librarian. She’s a glass-half-empty sort of gal, but despite her complaining, she’s tenderhearted. She also harbors a couple of big secrets, which I won’t give away here. I relate to her fatalistic view of life, and, sadly, her hot flashes.


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

AMS: Just my imagination! As I created Wilfred, Oregon, and the library and townspeople, I continued to ask myself, “What would be the most fun?” A library in a Victorian mansion? Fun. A trailer park psychic with a penchant for tattered kimonos and boxed wine? Fun. The ability to recommend books you’ve never even heard of, yet know they’re the perfect books for a library patron? Fun.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AMS: For me, storytelling comprises both the teller and the listener. Although when I write it’s just me and my keyboard (well, and a couple of cats who find their way to my desk and lap), the reader is always in my mind. I sought an agent and a publisher as a way to connect to readers.


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

AMS: I’d invite MFK Fisher for her love of food and passion for daily life. I’d also have to invite Helen McCloy, a mystery author popular in her time but almost forgotten today. I adore her work. She studied in Paris, and she and MFK Fisher would have lots to talk about. Since the theme is turning French, why not invite Sylvia Beach, who owned a famous American bookstore in Paris in the 1920s? She wasn’t a writer, but James Joyce’s Ulysses couldn’t have been published without her, and Ernest Hemingway depended on her nurturing and generosity. Finally, we’ll round out the dinner table with Dolly Parton, because who wouldn’t want Dolly Parton at her dream dinner? (Dolly just released MY LIFE IN LYRICS, so she counts as a writer.)


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

AMS: I always have loads of books going at a time. I just finished Anthony Horowitz’s MOONFLOWER MURDERS and Maria DiRico’s HERE COMES THE BODY and am on to THE SEVILLE COMMUNION by Arturo Perez-Reverte and COUNT ON THE SAINT by Lesley Charteris (I love vintage crime novels).


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

AMS: I’m a pro-level thrifter and adore ravaging thrift stores and Goodwills for etched cocktail glasses, vintage linens and dresses, and old books. I also have an interest in perfume, and I’ve written for the popular perfume blog Now Smell This for 15 years and for NEZ, a French perfume magazine.


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

AMS: Ginger root, lemon, Parmesan cheese, and coffee beans.


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

AMS: I’m working on the third book in the Witch Way Librarian series right now. (SEVEN _YEAR WITCH comes out in September 2021, and WITCH AND FAMOUS will follow that one.) I’m really enjoying this series and will happily write it as long as the publisher wants me to!


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

AMS: Hands down, it’s the readers. I love knowing that my stories have found life in someone else’s imagination.

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

Review

BAIT AND WITCH by Angela M. Sanders
The First Witch Way Librarian Mystery

When her co-worker disappears after they blow the whistle on government corruption, librarian Josie Way decides to run, at least until after the trial. Taking a job as head librarian in the tiny out of the way town of Wilfred, Oregon, Josie feels as if she's found home. Her senses have come alive and the unique library housed in a Victorian Manor seems to welcome her. Even the books call to her. Before she can get settled, Josie learns that the library is on the chopping block as the majority of the trustees want to sell and have a retreat center built in its place. Then she finds a dead body! Certain that the body is someone sent to silence her, Josie wonders if she can save both the library and herself!

I absolutely loved this book! A complicated mystery with several subplots, BAIT AND WITCH stands apart from other cozy mysteries in that our protagonist isn't trying to solve a murder or prove someone's innocence. She just wants to survive and save the town's library. The story is filled with twists and turns and lots of surprises keeping readers on their toes.

The First Witch Way Librarian Mystery gives us lots of unique complicated characters. Their nuances, their quirks, and their backstories provide a rich landscape that the author cultivates brilliantly. Almost everyone seems to have a secret agenda and even the books and portraits in the library have character and express emotion.

I love the way the magick reveals itself and can't wait for Josie to fully accept and explore her abilities. She had me quite put out with her at one point as I shouted at her to use her magick! Of course, I adore Rodney and look forward to seeing more of him.

BAIT AND WITCH gives a powerhouse start to a new series. I was completely engrossed and enchanted and can't wait to return to Wilfred, Oregon.

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

 Bait and Witch - A Witch Way Librarian Mystery by Angela M. Sanders

About Bait and Witch

Bait and Witch - A Witch Way Librarian Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (December 29, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

Librarian Josie Way moved to small-town Oregon to lay low. Instead, thanks to newfound magic abilities—and a killer on the loose—she’s leapt out of the frying pan and into a cauldron of trouble . . .

Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress’s leather-scented stacks—until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon’s new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn’t as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods . . .

Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she’s descended from a long line of witches—and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie’s thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library—and her life . . .

 

About Angela M. Sanders

Angela M. Sanders writes the Amazon bestselling Joanna Hayworth Vintage Clothing Mysteries and The Booster Club Capers. Under the pen name Clover Tate, she’s the author of the Kite Shop Mysteries (Berkley), which Romantic Times praised for their “well written wit and intrigue.” Angela’s articles on food, personalities, and perfume have appeared in a variety of magazines, and her monthly newsletters have nearly 2,000 subscribers. She interacts with readers on Facebook and Instagram and is a prominent blogger for Now Smell This, which garners 1.5 million monthly page views. Angela has two cats—one of whom is black of course—a witch’s freckle in her left eye and learned to read tarot cards from a pagan priestess.

Author Links: 

Website - https://angelamsanders.com/ 

 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAngelaMSanders  

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/angela.m.sanders/  

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AngelaMSanders  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play - IndieBound  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders. This is the first book in the Witch Way Librarian Mystery series and was released December 29, 2020.

When her co-worker disappears after they blow the whistle on government corruption, librarian Josie Way decides to run, at least until after the trial. Taking a job as head librarian in the tiny out of the way town of Wilfred, Oregon, Josie feels as if she's found home. Her senses have come alive and the unique library housed in a Victorian Manor seems to welcome her. Even the books call to her. Before she can get settled, Josie learns that the library is on the chopping block as the majority of the trustees want to sell and have a retreat center built in its place. Then she finds a dead body! Certain that the body is someone sent to silence her, Josie wonders if she can save both the library and herself!