Killer Characters

Dear old pals, jolly old pals...

2012-01-28T00:01:00.004-05:00

I ask you, what is one to do when an old schoolfriend asks for help? Sybil was widowed in the Great War. She hadn't a husband to turn to. She was supporting herself and her young daughter as secretary to a writer. I admire her for that.

I, Daisy Dalrymple as was, managed for myself for some years after the war. You see, I lost my brother and my fiancé at the front, and my father died in the influenza pandemic in '18. I could have lived with my mother (Heaven forfend!), or sponged off the distant cousin who inherited my father's estate and title. Instead, after trying various jobs, I found my métier as a journalist.

And then I married my darling Alec, so now, strictly speaking, I'm Mrs Alec Fletcher. But the dear old lady who chronicles my adventures, Carola Dunn, once having called the series of books by my maiden name, thought it best not to change.

To get back to Sybil: We weren't particularly close at school, actually, and I lost touch with her after sending condolences on her husband's death. We all had our own losses to mourn. So I was surprised to hear from her one day in late summer, 1926. Something strange and disturbing was going on, she said, at the Derbyshire farmhouse where her author-employer lived. She was worried. She had heard through the Old Girls' bush telegraph that I rather specialised in mysteries.

That was nonsense of course. Specialised, indeed! I can't help it if I stumble across more than my fair share of murders.

However, I had absolutely no reason to foresee that Sybil's problem was going to result in events of interest to the police. If I had guessed, I would have refused her invitation. Alec gets rather sticky about such things. You see, he happens to be a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard, and it embarrasses him when his wife meddles in police investigations.

Not that I meddle. I am occasionally able to be of assistance... But that's beside the point. Sybil's invitation seemed perfectly innocent and I was sure I'd be able to put her mind at rest. Besides, I was looking forward to my first long drive in my new car, a sky-blue 1925 Gwynne Eight.

How was I to guess that the isolated farmhouse in the Derbyshire Dales harboured a seething mass of resentment, jealousy, and long-lived grudges that would soon lead to unnatural death?

A sullen farmer, a worried doctor, a bitter old woman, a flighty girl with expensive tastes, a young man with literary aspirations, an irresponsible but charming Irish playwright, an overbearing man of the world: Add a secret that could change everyone's lives--an explosive mixture, to be sure. But why did it have to wait until my visit to explode?

Wouldn't you know it: As soon as the local police found out about Alec's profession, they called in the Yard. Alec's Superintendent sent him rushing north to make sure I wasn't interfering. I might as well admit that Superintendent Crane doesn't like me.

Naturally, Alec found out he needed my assistance. I knew all the people involved and he didn't. It would save him a lot of time and effort if he'd just acknowledge that when I say someone just isn't the sort of person to have committed murder, it's true.

Well, usually...

Was I right this time? You can read about my trials and tribulations in GONE WEST, Carola Dunn's latest addition to my story.Do visit me and Carola on Facebook and on our website. Also, you can watch a video of Carola talking about me (and a few other things) here.

I may live in the 1920s, but that doesn't mean I can't keep up with the times!

Sherlock Holmes at the Grocery Story

2012-01-27T00:01:00.002-05:00

By Molly Pink from the Crochet Mysteries by Betty Hechtman.

My name is Molly Pink and I'm a sometimes sleuth and an always crocheter. You know how some people hate waiting in line at the grocery store. Not me. It gives me the chance to play what I call Sherlock Holmes. I like to see what I can deduce about the people ahead of me in line by what they are buying. I like doing it so much, sometimes I wish the line would go slower.

Here's an example from the other day. I watched the couple ahead of me unload their cart onto the conveyer belt. The woman was draped in a loose tunic over pants that camouflaged but didn't totally cover up her round shape. The man wore jeans with a belt like the one's Mitt Romney wears, only this guy had a neat polo shirt on top instead of a button down collar dress shirt.

I counted four Lean Cuisine entrees, a box of sugar free sugar cookies (isn't that an oxymoron like fat free sour cream), a six pack of zero calories flavored sparkling water, two rib eye steaks, a box of frozen fried chicken, two baking potatoes, a ready made caesar salad for one, and a loaf of freshly made rustic bread.

You probably already came to the same conclusion I did. One of them was on a diet and one wasn't. I'm guessing it was her because I don't believe any guy, even if he was on a diet, would buy sugar free cookies.

It's actually due to my Sherlock Holmes game that I met my sometimes boyfriend homicide detective Barry Greenberg. Any of you who know me, also know I think boyfriend is a stupid title for a man in his fifties, even if he is pretty high on the hot meter.

He was ahead of me in line. He didn't even have a cart, just one of those handheld things. But then all he put on the conveyer belt was a box of frozen mac and cheese and a six pack of beer. It looked pretty lonely to me. Particularly when I started to unload my groceries and put them on the conveyer belt. I was shopping for a dinner party.

Well, to cut to the chase, we started talking and I ended up inviting him to my dinner party. It's not quite as weird as it sounds. It's not like I go around picking up guys in the grocery store, even though since I'm a widow, I suppose I could. I did sort of know him. I'd gotten a completely undeserved traffic ticket and gone to traffic school to get it off my record. Barry had been a last minute stand in for the cop that was supposed to teach the class.

By the way, I could tell by the speed of Barry's acceptance that I'd been right about his dinner plans seeming lonely. Who knew my game would actually come with a prize?

Speaking of Lingerie

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Emma Taylor from Murder Unmentionable, a Sweet Nothings Mystery by Meg London

Just the other day I was walking through downtown Paris (Tennessee that is) when I spied Angel Roy up ahead. Now I love Angel to death, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes she makes some seriously bad sartorial choices if you know what I mean. She bent down to tie her shoe and between her low-cut jeans and a too-short top, all of Paris got an eyeful of Angel’s thong.

Then just yesterday I was shopping at Walmart when I saw my friend Bitsy duck between two racks of dresses and perform a maneuver that all women recognize as the “this-underwear-is-giving-me-a-wedgie-and-I-can’t-stand-it-another-minute-dance.”

Now I’m not saying you all need to just give up and run out and buy a six pack of big, white granny panties, but there are alternatives. Come on down to our shop, Sweet Nothings, and I’ll show you! We’ve got some beautiful pieces, lace-trimmed and absolutely gorgeous that won’t ride up, slip down or go sideways. It’s all in choosing the right style and getting the right fit.

Arabella, Sylvia and I will be happy to help you.

Who's There?

2012-01-25T00:05:00.001-05:00

By Nell Pratt, in Sheila Connolly's Museum Mystery series.

Coming from Berkley Prime Crime,
February 2012

I like to think I'm a rationale, sensible person, but sometimes things are kind of hard to explain, you know?

I work in a public building that's over a hundred years old now, and anybody who's ever spent time in one like it knows that odd things can happen—bumps and thumps, for example. I can tell myself that's just the building's bones creaking. or the furnace coming on, or a change in the weather. But then there are things that aren't quite so easy to label, like why a copy machine in a dark corner will suddenly turn itself on when no one is near it. Electrical surge? Maybe. But why is that machine the only one affected, and not all the others?

But that's not quite as odd as what happened when one of our most valued members asked me to find something for him in our collections, but quietly, without telling anyone else. I was happy to help him, but the more I looked into his request, the more strange events kept happening. All good ones, thank heavens, like finding a document that I was looking for in a place I knew it hadn't been the day before, or having a book fall at my feet, open to exactly the page I needed. One discovery like that can be a coincidence, but several in a row?

I'm not superstitious, but I think I had a little help on this project, and I'm not entirely sure it was mortal.

PAINTED ROCK CLIFF

2012-01-24T03:23:00.004-05:00

by Kate Connolly from Diana Orgain's Maternal Instinct Mystery Series

I went for a wonderful hike on Lands End the other day. There is an area called Painted Rock Cliff. You may be able to tell from the photos that the trail goes up to the right and there is a stern warning not to go to the left with the quote "People have fallen to their death from this point. KEEP OUT"
Seems pretty clear, right? Why then did I witness a lone man standing beyond the sign perliously close to the edge, with his wife or lady friend simply looking on?
Intriguing.
I had to stop and poke my nose around. I mean, how could you not? Especially after what happened with my friend's boyfriend....Well, so it's official then. I'm on a case. You have to read more about it later...as I discover it. But tell me, why do you think that man was walking on the edge of the cliff?

Cumberland Creek Scrapbooking Newbie

2012-01-23T00:01:00.004-05:00

By Annie Chamovitz, Scrapbook of Secrets, the first in the Cumberland Creek Mystery Series (Released February 7, 2012) by Mollie Cox Bryan

A few years ago, I’d have rather stuck needles in my eyes than go to a scrapbook crop. But my world was so different then—before we had the boys and before we gave up living in the D.C. area, trying to find reasonable daycare, and a way to manage two careers and a new baby. Sometimes, I wondered if my child knew the difference between me and any other bottle-wielding, dark-haired woman. It just about killed me.

Soon, another baby was on its way and Mike and I knew change was inevitable. So I quit my job as an investigative reporter and we moved to the sleepy village of Cumberland Creek, where the cost of living is more manageable. It’s taken me awhile to find a friend or two and now I have a group of friends with one thing in common: they crop until they drop—every Saturday night. They are all so different, but they’ve known each other forever. Vera is a sort of a Southern belle that owns the local dancing school, Paige is a middle-age ex-hippy that teaches history at Cumberland Creek High School, and DeeAnn is a big-boned Midwest transplant that owns a successful little bakery on Main Street. As you’d expect, her baking is extraordinary—but the other scrapbookers are no slouches in the kitchen and always bring food to share. I’ve probably gained five pounds just since I started going to the weekly crops.

Surprisingly enough, I look forward to getting together weekly and yes, even to scrapbooking. After all, I am a writer and scrapbooking is simply visual storytelling—although sometimes it offers much, much more, like clues to an untimely death of a young mother who lives in your neighborhood. A mother with secrets. We all have secrets, don’t we? Have you ever wondered what your papers would say about you after you’re gone? I shudder to think.

To find out more about Scrapbook of Secrets, please visit MollieCoxBryan.com

Journal Entry #9, by Harlow Jane Cassidy

2012-01-22T05:37:00.004-05:00

By: Harlow Jane Cassidy

From: A Magical Dressmaking Mystery

Author: Melissa Bourbon

Book 2: A Fitting End

Pub. Date: February 2012

At seven forty-five in the morning, it already felt like an oven, and when I walked outside, the moisture clung to my skin. Let me tell you, journal, I thought I was done with murder, but today I realized that that was wishful thinking. I'd clipped my hair up and headed in my ancient pickup truck, formerly owned by my great-grandmother and recently brought back to working order by Bubba of Bubba Murphy’s repair shop. The one thing Bubba didn’t fix was the air conditioner, which meant I looked like a drowned rat by the time I got to the swanky Bliss Country Club.

Summoned by Mrs. Zinnia James, and if you’ve met Mrs. James, you know you don’t say no to a summons.

But when I got there, the parking lot was bursting, but the golf course was pretty much deserted. I thought maybe all the golfers were all on the back nine, but the second I stepped inside the air conditioned lobby of the club, I knew I was wrong.

Dead wrong.

Everybody stopped talking... and they were all looking at me. Not in a Look, it’s the dressmaker, Harlow Cassidy, and isn’t she an icon of fashion? way, but in a Let’s give her a wide berth like you’d give one of the Salem witches kind of way.

Not a good feeling, let me tell you.

All I can say is that murder is back in Bliss.

Again.

And like a bowl of redeye gravy, I’m in the center of it.

Again.

Oh boy. Will the Margaret Moffett Lea Pageant and Ball be able to go on?

And what about the dresses I found in the attic? What do they mean and where did they come from?

Good lord, there’s Will and Gracie to worry about! What a secret I discovered about them.

And here I thought coming back to Bliss would be peaceful.

What am I going to do? Sometimes I think I should move back to Manhattan. What do you think?

Watch the series trailer for A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series!

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About A Fitting End

Former Manhattan fashion designer Harlow Jane Cassidy has a gift for creating beautiful dresses. But when Harlow becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation, she’ll more than her sewing skills to unravel the mystery…

Business is booming at Harlow’s custom dressmaking boutique, Buttons & Bows, even with the presence of her great-grandmother’s ghost hanging around the shop. But thanks to the fast approaching Margaret Moffette Lea Pageant and Ball, Harlow has her work cut out for her when Mrs. Zinnia James hires her to make her granddaughter’s pageant gown.

With the debutant ball getting the whole town of Bliss, Texas into a tizzy, Harlow knows her dress has to be perfect. But when a local golf pro is found stabbed to death with dressmaking shears, the new deputy thinks Harlow and Mrs. James conspired to commit the crime. Now Harlow has to finish the dress on time and clear her name before the next outfit she designs is a prison jumpsuit…

Redesigning Me

2012-01-21T03:33:00.001-05:00

By: Jaymie Leighton

From: The Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series

Author: Victoria Hamilton

Book 1 Title: A Deadly Grind

Pub. Date: May 2012

Did you ever take a hit to your self esteem so hard it knocks you flying? That's what happened to me a couple of weeks before Christmas. Joel, who I thought was the love of my life, dumped me. Just... dumped me. I had no clue why until last week when I learned that he has been shacking up with some new girl in Queensville, someone he just met a few months ago.

I'm so mad... I feel like I was taken in, and I'm hurt. But now I want to get on with my life, except I realized that what is missing in my life is a sense of purpose. But how do you go about finding a sense of purpose? My Grandma Leighton, who I spent a lot of time with over Christmas, said I needed to look inside myself at what excites me, what makes me happy, what gets me going in the morning.

So I did some soul searching. That, and some literal searching. I got up in the attic of the family house and dug around in old boxes and trunks and came across a whole bunch of my grandma's old cookbooks and recipes. My complete absorption in them--I don't usually pay that much attention to anything written unless it's a new Mary Balogh book--showed me the way. It was what Oprah calls an 'aha' moment.

I love old cookbooks, and old kitchen vessels and utensils, and everything old connected with the kitchen. I've been collecting for a couple of years, but it is now my mission to transform the kitchen of my house into a showcase for all the stuff I love so much. I also have another goal in mind, but I think I'll just keep that card close to my chest for now.

I've moped around for too long; now it's time to rejoin life! I'm only 32, and there are better fish in the sea, right? At least, that's what Grandma says.

So... have you ever taken that kind of body blow, the hit to your feeling of self-worth or self-esteem so hard it feels like a physical punch in the stomach? What did you do to recover, and what would you do differently now?

Victoria Hamilton on Facebook

Twitter: @MysteryVictoria

Blog: http://vintagekitchenmysteries.blogspot.com/

Chilly Weather & Hot Relationship Problems

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

Sophie Winston

blogs for

Krista Davis

author of

The Domestic Diva Mysteries

It's that time of year again. If it's not snowing, it's icy. If it's not icy, it's muddy. I'm cooking all sorts of hearty comfort foods like yummy macaroni and cheese (four cheeses, of course), spicy chili, beef stew, and my favorite indulgence late at night after work -- hot chocolate pudding.

If I had any sense at all, I would book a cruise for January and get away to the sun. Maybe visit Hayley Snow in Key West. She's living it up in the sunshine! But as dismal as January and February are in terms of weather, they're prime months for event planners. I'm booked solid. As I look through my planner, I'm wondering if I haven't overbooked myself. No time off until July! I'm blocking out a week of vacation time right now -- in ink! Right after the Fourth of July, and the radiology convention, and the annual Greene family picnic.

Picnic sounds so simple doesn't it? That's what the Greenes like to call it. It's really their version of a big company party for the employees at their catalogs, Planter's Punch, which caters to Southern gardeners, and Backwoods for hunting and fishing enthusiasts. They always schedule it for National Ice Cream Day and have a fabulous ice cream bar where their guests can make their own sundaes. By all rights, Olive Greene ought to be one of Old Town's socialites, but she'd rather putter around in her garden than, well, just about anything else, which means I have a free hand in making the "picnic" arrangements.

But as soon as I'm done with that, I'm taking a week off just for myself. Maybe I'll take a staycation and putter around in my own garden. Lots of time to decide that.

Uh oh, Mars, my ex-husband is coming up the sidewalk. I've been avoiding him like crazy since we shared an awkwardly romantic moment in the fall. I don't know how to handle it, so I've been ducking him at every opportunity. I can't keep running away from him. Can I? Do I have to face him and talk about it (please say no) or can I just pretend like it never happened?

Where's Sunny?

2012-01-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

Detective Mitch Stone of

The Fortune Teller Mysteries

by Kari Lee Townsend

"Detective Stone here." Mitch cleared his throat. "I, uh, I'm looking for Sunshine Meadows. Most people call her Sunny. I call her Tink because there's nothing to the woman. But never mind that. The point is, I'm looking for her. Seems I'm always looking for her," he grumbled. "She's a little thing. Short, spikey blond hair, green eyes ... basically like the real Tinker Bell. Anyway," he swiped his hand through the air and came into the room further, "have you seen her?"

Walking warily around the room, he added, "Man, it really is dark in here." He shook his head on a frown. "I followed her in here once before, and let me tell you, it was no picnic. You'd be smart to watch your back. Apparently there are some real characters who hang out here. In fact, I heard some of them are actual killers. Unless, you're one of them. I mean, you're not, are you?" He parted his sport coat and dropped his hand to his gun then heaved out an irritated breath. "This is just like Sunny to stick her nose in places where it doesn't belong. Every time I start investigating a new case, she shows up, asking questions, chasing after wild goose chases, and stirring up trouble. No matter how many times I tell her to stay put, she never listens. I tried to tell her getting involved with these killer characters wasn't a good idea. No telling what kind of influence they will have over her."

He made one more sweep around the room, checking every hiding place without any luck. "She thinks I don't think she's any good at sleuthing, and that I don't believe she's really psychic."

He grunted, scrubbing a hand over his five o'clock shadow. "Okay, so I admit she tends to know things I can't explain, but come on. Psychic? I wouldn't go that far, but that's not the reason I don't want her getting involved in any of the murders I'm investigating. She has no idea how much I care about her, and that it would kill me if anything bad happened to her." He sighed. "So I grumble and complain a lot, and do my best to save her cute, frustrating, pain-in-my-backside behind."

He suddenly looked around as though something serious had occurred to him. "Hey, you don't have a cat, do you?" He shuddered. "Because I heard that some of these characters do. I'm not all that fond of cats, especially Sunny's. She calls him Morty, short for immortal. I don't think he's immortal. I think he's the devil. There's something not right about him. It's like he can see right into a person's soul. Kinda freaks me out. In fact," Mitch started backing toward the exit, "I think that's my cue to leave. Do me a favor. If you see Sunny, don't tell her I'm looking for her. Tell her that Granny Gert is looking for her. Today's Thursday. That's Granny's baking day. Tell Sunny that Granny is out of flour. That will send her home for sure, then I can stop worrying and do my job. Like investigating this corpse she supposedly saw in her crystal ball. If it's not one thing, it's another with her. I'll tell ya, she's gonna be the death of me yet." The corner of his lip tipped up ever so slightly. "But she sure is entertaining."

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Tempest in the Tea Leaves - August 2011

Corpse in the Crystal Ball - June 2012

Trouble in the Tarot - March 2013

To find out more about Kari Lee Townsend go to www.karileetownsend.com

Friend her on Facebook www.facebook.com/karileetownsendAUTHOR

Follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/karileetownsend

How Dodie Got Her Groove Back

2012-01-18T08:49:00.004-05:00

By: Kiki Lowenstein, "star" of Joanna Campbell Slan's Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries
Pub. Date: Make, Take, Murder - Midnight Ink - May 2011

"A sleep study? You are kidding me. Someone gets paid to watch people snore?"

I've been working on curbing my tongue, trying not to blurt out whatever wanders through my pea-sized brain, but Dodie's claim that she was going for a sleep study boggled my mind.

"Yes, Sunshine, I've been falling asleep at my desk. Every morning, I wake up more exhausted than when I went to bed. Horace says I'm too tired to be any fun. So my doctor wrote a prescription for me to go to a sleep clinic. The study starts at eight in the evening and I'm done at seven the next day." She smiled at me, a tired and wobbly grin, that failed to crinkle her eyes.

Ever since her chemo and radiation treatments for lung cancer, she's been a shadow of her former self. Who could have guessed that she'd sail through the treatments so easily only to struggle after being pronounced "cured"? I knew that her husband Horace worried over her. We all did. She was dragging along, looking more and more wasted every day. Worst of all, she seemed to have lost all her mojo. The Dodie of Old was a fearsome, wild and woolly character, a woman of giant tastes, passions and energy.

"What exactly do they do in a sleep study?"

"Wire me with monitors. Watch me sleep. Record my brain waves. Then a specialist reads the measurements. They can tell when I fall asleep, when I go into REM--the really restful sleep--and what might be keeping me from getting a good night's rest."

"How on earth do they expect you to sleep when you're all wired up?"

"Beats me," said Dodie with a shrug. "Maybe that's the point."

Two days later, Dodie greeted me at the back door of the store. "Hey, there, Sunshine!"

"Boy, aren't we perky?" I am NOT a morning person. I struggle along, aided by copious cups of coffee, and raw willpower. If I had my druthers, the day wouldn't begin until noon. Seeing my boss all yippy-skippy cheery should have made me happy. Instead it simply tired me out.

"Got the best sleep of my life. Eight hours of uninterrupted bliss." Her eyes sparkled and I noted a decided skip in her step.

"But didn't they put wires on you? Weren't you being tested for sleep apnea?" I encouraged Gracie, my harlequin Great Dane rescue pup, to quit sniffing the trash and come get into her doggy play pen. When it came to snoring, Gracie was a champ. She sounded like a train chugging its way through the kitchen where I kept her doggy bed.

"Yes, indeed, they did. They also turned the temperature down low. See, Horace likes it hot in the bedroom. I wake up several times a night all sweaty. But when the temp is down around 69, I sleep like a baby. Even with monitors all over my body!"

Here's what Dodie learned about good sleep hygiene:

1. Temperature in the bedroom should be around 69 degrees Farenheit.

2. The room should be as dark as possible. You should cover up the lit dial of a digital clock and anything else that glows. If at all possible, do not use a nightlight. Keep a flashlight by the bed instead.

3. Turn off the television. The volume jumps with commercials, and that change is enough to wake people up. If you must have a TV on, tune it to the weather channel.

4. If there's outside noise, such as traffic or others in the house, consider using ear plugs. If silicone ear plugs irritate your ears, try wax plugs.

5. Avoid using the computer right before bed. The light from the screen activates your wakefulness.
6. Wear loose fitting clothes and a pair of socks.
7. Try to go to sleep at the same time every night. Establish a habit.
8. Don't sleep with pets in the bed. They rustle around too much. Instead, get them a pet bed for your bedroom.
9. Take a hot bath or shower before bed. The drop in your body temperature will help you go to sleep.

Horace stepped out from Dodie's office. It was a bit unusual for him to accompany her to work. But today he watched her bustle around in the backroom with an eager puppy expression on his face. He, too, had a bounce in his gait. "I was happy to bundle up and let her dial down the thermostat. Anything for my darling wife. When she is happy, I am happy, too."

"I feel great!" said Dodie. "Funny. You don't realize the way a lack of sleep saps all your energy. I woke up raring to go this morning. Best mood I've been in for months! I think I can finally tackle all that paperwork on my desk."

Horace patted her fondly on the backside as she moved past him through the doorway and toward her big office chair. She paused mid-route, and they exchanged a look of affection, a quiet moment of tenderness and connection. As she took her seat, I noticed a crimson glow stain her cheeks.

Hmmm. What was it that Shakespeare called sleep? The chief nourisher in life's feast.

Yeah. I think he got that right.

**

For more information on getting a great night's sleep go to Sleep Compass.

**

To read more about Kiki and her friends, order your copy of Make, Take, Murder.

**

BREAKING NEWS--
Today marks the release of the second Kiki Lowenstein Short Story for Kindle--"Kiki Lowenstein and the White Elephant." It's only 99 cents! That's less than a bottle of Diet Dr Pepper!

Achooo

2012-01-17T00:10:00.006-05:00

by Avery Baker, from Jennie Bentley's Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries

Being sick sucks.

It’s the Maine weather, I suppose. It’s colder here than in New York. Or maybe it’s that chilly breeze off the Atlantic. I just can’t seem to wear enough clothes to stay warm.

Or it could be Aunt Inga’s house. It’s a hundred and forty years old, a Second Empire Victorian. Gorgeous, but chilly. They built solid back in those days, but they weren’t as concerned with creature comforts. Derek and I renovated it, but we didn’t tear the walls out and insulate, so the house gets cold. The ceilings are twelve feet tall and the rooms are huge, so it’s hard to heat.

Whatever it is, I’ve got the crud. I was lucky last year, when nothing too bad happened. My stepfather Noel came to visit and got the worst cold he’d ever had, though. Poor guy; winter in Maine is very different from winter in California. I doubt he’ll ever come back. At least not during the dark part of the year.

I was OK, though. No problems at all last winter. I was cold, and I couldn’t wait for the snow to thaw and the sun to come back out, but I didn’t get sick.

This year... oh, boy. I’ve been sniffling since Thanksgiving, and over Christmas it got really bad. Then I started coughing, and I haven’t stopped since.

The only good thing is that Doctor Ben still makes house calls. Derek diagnosed bronchitis first, and then his dad came and confirmed it. They’ve got me sucking down horse-sized antibiotics and gallons and gallons of water and tea with honey. And Derek makes sure I stay in bed. Normally, I’d be all for that, but there’s no hanky-panky going on. I’m supposed to rest. Hanky-panky would be too strenuous.

Although things could be worse. There’s HGTV to watch, and DIY magazines to read, and I’ve got Mischa like a living, breathing, purring heating-pad covering my feet... and Derek stopping by with the best lobster-rolls in Maine for lunch.

So how about you? Have you kept the crud at bay this winter? Do you have any tips for how I can get through the next week without losing my temper or my sanity?

It's a Man's World

2012-01-16T08:17:00.003-05:00

Duffy Brown

Iced Chiffon

Boys will be Boys, right. I mean when a hot young chickie is right there in front of you and comes on to you, what’s a guy to do?

Hollis Beaumont the Third here and when Janelle gave me the look and bought me an extra dry martini, I knew we were meant for each other. That I was married to Reagan didn’t seem to matter to either of is. That’s what true love does, crowds out all those other pesky little thoughts like marriage that don’t really matter. Just as they say, love conquers all.

Janelle is so beautiful, and fun with that long blond hair and great shape. That she’s twenty-four and I’m forty-five is testament to how much of a stud I still am. I keep myself fit and trim and I don’t think Reagan appreciates me for the ruggedly handsome guy I am.

I have no idea why Reagan got so upset when she found Janelle and me doing the horizontal hula on my desk in the office last week. I mean, really, what did Reagan expect, that I’d be faithful to her forever?

This is the twenty-first century. Men need to spread their wings, explore, feel young. They need to be with someone who appreciates them and I got to tell you that having a great looking babe hanging off my arm is pretty sweet.

I can’t imagine why Reagan’s got her shorts in a bunch. She’s the one who signed the prenup that left her nothing in our divorce. She’s thirty-two and a little on the old side for me, but she’ll be fine. I gave her that old dump of a house in the Victorian district. I think that was pretty decent of me, don’t you. She can fix it up. She doesn’t have anything else to do, right!

Me? I’ve got Janelle to keep me busy.

Sunny is in the House!

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to welcome Kari Lee Townsend to Killer Characters! Her characters will talk to us on the 19th of every month. You may remember this post that her character, Sunny, wrote for us last July:

Sunny
from the Fortune Teller Mysteries
blogs for
Kari Lee Townsend


   “Killers and characters and blogs…oh my,” I muttered to myself, needing to hear a voice. It was dark and quiet and freaky in here. The blog owners said the characters were killers, but I was beginning to wonder. Was this whole thing a ruse to lure me out of Divinity to this blog in the middle of Cyberspace so the owners could do me in? Unlike my cat, Morty, I didn’t have nine lives. Although with him being immortal, I guess he didn’t, either.

   Detective Mitch Stone, aka Grumpy Pants, would flip out if he knew I was here. He’d ordered me not to investigate alone, but I couldn’t help it. My fortune-telling supplies had clearly shown someone was going to die. My visions always come true. Could that “someone” be me? Using a key light, I scanned my notes, looking for clues to which of these bloggers could be capable of murder.

   Wendy Lyn Watson knows how to cover up murder since she teaches law, and she’s admitted she can scoop to kill a pint of ice cream in nothing flat.

   Krista Davis knows where to hide a body in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She’s a Diva, painting the town while her sidekick cat leaps to amazing heights and opens cabinets, readying her lethal supplies.

   Mary Kennedy knows how to find her victim’s weaknesses as a clinical psychologist. She listens to talk radio, but when the air goes dead, I just know reel murder is going on.

   Maggie Sefton, with her several careers, has something to hide. Further digging at the skein of the crime revealed she’s packing a pair of knitting needles and knows how to use them.

   Denise Swanson acts cool and composed, but admits to sneaking away for a little adventure with her husband. Only, I heard on their last trip they murdered a wedding belle.

   Elizabeth Spann Craig/Riley Adams is delicious and suspicious. She staggers out of libraries and complains of being dragged along as a hostage, yet dreams of dark and stormy nights where pretty dies.

   Avery Aames likes to read, cook, and garden, but secretly hitchhikes around Ireland and jumps out of airplanes. Turns out she stole Avery’s identity and is really the dangerous Daryl Wood Gerber.

   Mary Jane Maffini outright admits to settling into a life of crime. She was a former president of crime, and a member of a Ladies Killing Circle with the messiest desk I’ve ever seen.

   Misa Ramirez/Melissa Bourbon might hang out with seamstresses, but she makes her victims pleat for mercy. And poor Lola and Harlow. I shivered. She downright stalks them on their adventures.

   Laura Alden seems so sweet with her love of baths, red raspberries and blue skies, but she’s really like a PI with all the pictures she takes for “research.” I heard she committed murder at the PTA.

   Betty Hechtman found her calling in a stitch in crime. She’s deadly with her crochet hook in hand and a bit obsessed with Granny squares. Kinda freaks me out.

   Sheila Connolly has more degrees than she knows what to do with and has lived all over. I wouldn’t want to get her mad and make her see red…she finds death delicious.

   Janet Bolin is the expert weapons master with all these hobbies, claiming the snares are unavoidable, but I know better. Now the situation is dire, I fear.

   Heather Webber is the queen of escape plans. She rides the T, skips rocks, and roots for the red sox, but don’t let her fool you. She’s truly madly crazy.

   Amanda Flower weaves in and out of Slovakia, Ireland and Israel like she weaves a basket, but I just know that murder is hiding within.

   Casey Daniels loves to stomp through cemeteries, or should I say museums without walls, looking for inspiration, but I know better…she’s looking for the living dead at night.

   Lucy Burdette/Roberta Isleib poses as a food critic, but her alter ego is really a clinical psychologist with a taste for murder. I’d beware of the advice she gives.

   Miranda James hides her cat in the stacks of classified books, waiting for the go ahead to pounce. I heard she thinks murder is past due.

   Joyce & Jim Lavene were last seen wearing harrowing hats at a renaissance fair, attempting to commit murder. I heard they get help from their pets and won’t stop until they find the missing pieces.

   J.J. Murphy might act like she’s into health care but I just know she murdered her darlings at the round table.

   Duffy Brown/Dianne Castell commits murder on consignment. I mean she iced the chiffon, and who takes Sherlock Holmes to the prom over Brad Pitt? There’s just something off about her.

   Joanna Campbell Slan was seen on the banks of the river with scars on her knees. She claims she tripped, but I heard she’s armed with scissors and can give a deadly paper cut.

   Finally, Diana Orgain claims her maternal instincts help solve crime and she brings her baby with her. But I say she’s a bundle of trouble and a great actor as she writes the script for my murder.

   A noise echoed through the dark room, startling me, then a pair of hands grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth before I could scream. This was it. I was going to die.

I hated it when Detective Grumpy Pants was right.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the inevitable, when the hands jerked me around. My eyes sprang open, and I sucked in a breath. Mitch, I thought on a sigh of relief that died a quick death as I stared into eyes so dark they were nearly black. And narrowed. And angry as hell. Forget the blog owners.

The Grumpmeister was going to kill me for sure.

Kari Lee Townsend lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter, who keep her grounded and make everything she does worthwhile…not to mention provide her with loads of material for her books. Kari is a longtime lover of reading and writing, with a masters in English education, who spends her days trying to figure out whodunit. Funny how no one at home will confess any more than the characters in her mysteries!

    Kari writes fun and exciting stories for any age, set in small towns, with mystical elements and quirky characters. You can find out more about her on her website www.karileetownsend.com and also on the group mystery blog she cohosts, called Mysteries and Margaritas, at www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com

TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES: A Fortune Teller Mystery

In the fortune telling business there are a lot of pretenders, but Sunshine Meadows is the real deal—and her predictions can be lethally accurate…

Sunny is a big city psychic who moves to the quaint town of Divinity, NY to open her fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house, inheriting the strange cat residing within. Sunny gives her first reading to the frazzled librarian and discovers the woman is going to die. When the woman flees in terror, Sunny calls the police, only she’s too late. The ruggedly handsome, hard-nosed detective is a ”non-believer.” He finds the librarian dead, and Sunny becomes his number one suspect, forcing her to prove her innocence before the real killer can put an end to the psychic’s future.

Laissez les bon Temps Rouler

2012-01-14T00:01:00.006-05:00

by Miss Frankie Renier from Cake on a Hot Tin Roof, (out on Feb 7!), second in the Piece of Cake mystery series by Jacklyn Brady.

Let the good times roll, y’all!

It’s Mardi Gras and the good times, they are a-rolling! I just wish I could get my daughter-in-law to roll with them.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. Rita’s just as sweet as she can be, bless her heart, and I’m lucky to have her here with me. Why, if not for her I’d be completely alone since my son died and his bakery, Zydeco Cakes, would be running amok. I’m grateful she’s here to take over for me. But she does have a tendency to worry and everybody knows there’s no room for worry during Mardi Gras.

Take, for instance, the Captain’s Court party for the Krewe of Musterion. My son, Philippe, got the baby in the King Cake last year and tradition dictates that it was his job to host this year’s party. Of course, that’s impossible since he’s no longer with us, so it made perfect sense that Rita, being his widow and all, should step in and act as hostess in his place. And that’s exactly what I told the folks at Musterion. That way the party could go on without so much as a hiccup.

They, of course, were thrilled. But Rita...

It’s not her fault, I suppose. She’s not from around here, and she really doesn’t understand how things work, though Lord knows she tries. She wasn’t nearly as excited about my idea as I thought she’d be. But what did she expect from me? I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, could I? The Captain’s Court is tradition—one that’s been around since God was a boy. The party needed a hostess. And it’s not as if I didn’t do my fair share of the work.

It all would have been just fine if not for that blow-hard Big Daddy Boudreaux. The way he got himself killed was almost enough to prove Rita right and me wrong. But I don’t want to talk about that now.

It’s Mardi Gras. King Cake anyone? Maybe you’ll get the baby this year!

Jacklyn Brady lives on the Gulf Coast and writes the Piece of Cake mystery series set in New Orleans and featuring cake artist and trained pastry chef, Rita Lucero and, of course, Miss Frankie. The first book in the series, A SHEETCAKE NAMED DESIRE was released in August 2011. Look for book #3 (tentatively titled ARSENIC AND OLD CAKE) in the fall of 2012. You can visit Jacklyn at http://www.jacklynbrady.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Cozies!

2012-01-13T09:55:00.000-05:00

Dieters and Cake Decorating...A Business Killing Combo!

2012-01-12T01:07:00.001-05:00

by Daphne Martin of Killer Sweet Tooth
- Gayle Trent

Okay, so what's the top--or, at least one of the top--New Year's resolutions year after year after year after year? Say it with me, everybody: Lose weight! So every year after New Year's Day, my business basically tanks until February 14--Valentine's Day. Even the Save-A-Buck (a local grocery store that buys cakes from me on consignment because it doesn't have a bakery) slows up on sales of sweets this time of year because everyone is on a health kick.

I'm all for healthier eating. But it's hard to go more than a month without any income, so what's a cake decorator to do? I'm trying to incorporate and advertise some new cake flavors. I found these two recipes online, and the titles link back to the original recipes. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Light Cake, Any Flavor

Ingredients:

1 box dry cake mix
12 oz can of diet soda
1 tub of light whipped topping

Directions:

Do NOT follow the instructions on the boxed cake mix for this recipe. Instead:

Empty a regular boxed dry cake mix, any flavor*, into a medium bowl. Add a 12-oz can of diet soda, any flavor*. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the two ingredients very well. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake according to temperature and time recommendations on the box of the cake mix.

Allow the cake to cool completely. Then top with an entire tub of lite whipped topping. Cut into 12 squares. PERFECT light dessert.

*I recommend using diet 7-up or diet sprite for white or lemon cake mixes and diet Coke or diet Pepsi for chocolate cake mixes. You can also spruce up a white cake mix by adding fresh, sliced strawberries atop the whipped topping - a very light version of strawberry shortcake!

Number of Servings: 12

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Orange slices

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust pans evenly with 2 tablespoons flour.
Combine 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs; beat until well blended. Add pumpkin, beating until blended.
Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended (do not overbeat). Add juice, stirring until blended.
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup frosting over layer, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle with pecans, and garnish with orange slices, if desired.

So, what do you think? Could you enjoy either of these cakes and still keep your New Year's resolution to eat healthier?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Killer Sweet Tooth is the third book in the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating Mystery Series. Learn more at http://www.gayletrent.com.

Grow Your Pineapple Top

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

By Casey Calhoun, Assistant White House Gardener
From the White House Gardener Mystery Series by Dorothy St. James
THE SCARLET PEPPER coming April 2012

It's winter in the capital city, which means while there are still planning meetings galore to attend, there's not much happening outside in the garden.

Luckily for me, there are plenty of fun projects that can be done indoors. It keeps me from getting cabin fever or, worse, searching out mysteries to solve. Here's one you might want to try.

Plant and grow the top of your pineapple!

Step 1: Select a healthy pineapple with a bright green top. Look between the leaves. If you can find one with roots, you're that much ahead.

Step 2: Slice off the leafy pineapple top. (Okay, you can eat the pineapple as well. But I'm much more interested in growing the thing than I am with eating it.)

Step 3: Remove the bottom inch of leaves and pineapple meat from the stalk. This is an important step. If you leave the sweet pineapple meat on the stalk, it will rot.

Step 4: Place in a dry, warm spot for 3 to 7 days for the stalk to dry and form a callus. This helps to keep it from rotting.

Step 5: Press the stalk into a pot filled with perlite, vermiculite, sand or any combinations of these. A cactus potting soil will work as well. Bury the stalk up to the just above the first leaf.

Step 6: Place in a sunny window. Do not over water. The stalk will sprout in 6 to 8 weeks and grow into an exotic houseplant.

Would you like a Flowerbed of State bookmark that includes instructions on growing your own pineapple top? Shoot Dorothy St. James an email with your contact information and I'll bug her until she mails you one.

Happy growing!

* * * * * * *

Dorothy St. James writes the White House Gardener Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Flowerbed of State is the first book in the series. Be sure to grab your copy while they're still available! Visit with Dorothy on the web or at Facebook. Or follow her on Twitter.

Praise for FLOWERBED OF STATE:
"Credible characters, a fast-paced plot, and a light look at political life in Washington, D.C., will delight cozy fans." ~ Publishers Weekly

"This spunky new romantic suspense series is an obvious pick for readers who enjoy Julie Hyzy's "White House Chef" series (Buffalo West Wing), but also think of gardening mystery series such as Rosemary Harris's (Slugfest)." ~ Library Journal

Order Flowerbed of State from your favorite bookseller.

Look for The Scarlet Pepper in April 2012. Pre-order your copy today!

Once a Parent . . .

2012-01-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Charlie Harris from the Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James talks being a parent

If you're a parent, I don't think it matters how old your children are. You're still going to worry. My son, Sean, and my daughter, Laura, are both successful, professional adults, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned for their well-being. Sean and I have had some problems with our relationship recently, but things are much better now.

Laura and I have always gotten along well, because she is probably more like me, while Sean is more like his late mother, temperamentally. I'm fairly easy-going, and so is Laura. She, however, loves to be in the spotlight, while I'd rather lurk backstage. That is why she became an actor and went off to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune. She's not a major star yet, but she's had some success.

That's why I was surprised -- albeit very pleased -- when I discovered that Laura was going to spend the fall in Athena with her brother and me. Teaching acting, of all things, at Athena College. It will be wonderful to have her here, and I know Diesel is delighted because he adores my daughter.

The only thing that worries me is Laura's friendship with Conor Lawton, a truly obnoxious playwright who is the artist-in-residence at the college this year. I just have a bad feeling about him and his connection to Laura....

File M for Murder goes on sale officially on January 31st, both in print and electronically.

It Was a Crime of Passion

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Jake Del Vecchio from The Devereaux's Dime Store mysteries by Denise Swanson

My name is Jake Del Vecchio and I’m supposed to be helping my great Uncle Tony on his cattle ranch outside of Shadow Bend, Missouri while my leg heals and I’m able to return to duty as a U.S. Marshal. I was wounded in the line of duty and the docs are real sure that I’ll ever be able to pass the physical exam for active duty again, but I have to think positive. Being a U.S. Marshal is all I ever wanted to do.

That is until I met Devereaux Sinclair. The first time I laid eyes on her, I thought she was beautiful and smart and sexy, but she was also the principal suspect in a murder case. Which is how I got involved. Her grandmother, Birdie, and Uncle Tony, had a thing in high school. Then he went off to fight the Korean War, went MIA, and Birdie married someone else. But Uncle Tony has always had a soft spot for Birdie—maybe more—who knows? He sure isn’t talking. Anyway, Birdie asked Tony to ask me to help Devereaux prove she was innocent, and since Tony has been more a father to me than my own ever was, I said yes.

Devereaux wasn’t sure she wanted my help, but she couldn’t deny she needed it. She also couldn’t deny the chemistry between us. Neither could I, but I knew I was leaving Shadow Bend as soon as I healed and I was pretty damn sure she wasn’t the type of woman who’d be happy with a casual affair. So I tried to keep my distance.

Even when we ended up in the honeymoon suite of a fancy hotel, I did my best to keep my hands off of her—but I won’t go into what happened then. I will tell you that I didn’t succeed, and once I touched her—wooie!

You can read all about it in Little Shop of Homicide, which debuts March 6th.

How about you? Was there ever someone you were pretty sure was the one, but life got in the way?

New Year, Old Resolutions

2012-01-08T00:51:00.003-05:00

by Mimi Shafer, owner of Lambspun knitting shop, and

Kelly Flynn's good friend from the New York Times Bestselling

Knitting Mysteries, UNRAVELED, 9th in the series, June 2011

Hello, Everyone! I asked Kelly if I could post today about New Year's resolutions. It's been on my mind. . .well, our mind. . .ever since Burt and I had the courage to step on the scale three days after New Year's. Oh, my goodness. . .what a shock! Burt and I both knew we'd indulged ourselves way too much with all the holiday food, but we had NO idea how much!

We tried to keep ourselves in check but it's SO hard when all these scrumptious goodies sitting around. Aunt Helen's Gingersnaps (made by Kelly), Pete's Pecan Pie, Ruth's Blueberry Pie (made by Megan), And this sinfully delicious chocolate mint fudge that kept turning up. I have NO idea who made it, but it kept appearing everywhere. Just like the Pumpkin Bread, Cranberry Orange Nut Bread, Coconut Cherry Macaroons, Cinnamon Rolls, and. . .all topped off with Burt's Wassail, of course.

Goodness. . .after all that, it's no wonder we gained weight. How about you folks? Did you gain weight over the holidays? Which treat was your "downfall?" Share with us. We'll never tell. :)

Good Fortunes to you!

2012-01-07T00:05:00.000-05:00

By Lizzie Turner

From A KILLER READ by Erika Chase, coming this April.

Okay, so we’re in 2012 now and one week down. I know it’s not too late to talk about New Year’s resolutions but like most people I know, if I make them, I break them. So, I’ll just pass on that. And, it’s really hard to talk about all my friends in the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society without giving away too much of the story. You won’t be able to read that until April this year. Unless, of course, you sneak on over to Erika’s website and read the first chapter which is posted there.

But that doesn’t help my problem. What to say, without saying too much. I guess I could tell y’all that we had this planning session just before the new year, with take-out Chinese on the menu. And, of course, we all had to check out our fortune cookies. I saved them because who knows when you’ll need some words of wisdom, right? So, here’s what they got:

Molly Mathews – To love is to forgive. (Right on the nose!)

Sally-Jo Baker – One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes. (Hmmm)

Andie Mason – The only people who never fail are those who never try. (Get it, Andie?)

Bob Miller – Closed mouth gathers no feet. (No comment.)

Stephanie Lowe – Soon life will become more interesting. (Yeah, in about 3 months!)

Jacob Smith – A good time to finish up old tasks. (uh-huh!)

Mark Dreyfus – Help! I’m being held prisoner in a Chinese bakery. (Is he always on duty?)

And for me – Change is happening in your life so go with the flow. (Bring him on!)

I truly do hope all your New Year’s resolutions and fortunes do come true. What are some of them?

A Killer Read by Erika Chase is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Publication date is April 3, 2012. Visit Lizzie and her friends at www.erikachase.com

Food Glorious Food

2012-01-06T01:10:00.001-05:00

by Hayley Snow from Lucy Burdette's AN APPETITE FOR MURDER

I'm so excited that my story has finally been published and to celebrate, I decided to share some of my favorite places in Key West, Florida! Of course, tourists come here for lots of reasons--the weather, the parties, the arts scene, the scenery...but for me, it's all about the FOOD!

Maybe you all aren't as crazy about bread as I am, but then maybe you've never had the bread from Cole's Peace on Eaton Street. They've got big square loaves of mango--studded with chunks of orange mango--and whole grain and sourdough and rye--you'll never think about bread the same way. And while you're waiting for them to make you a sandwich, duck in next door to The Restaurant Store--everything you'll need for your kitchen and more.

Later on (or the next day), you'll want to try a burrito from Bad Boy Burritos on Simonton Street. It's a tiny little storefront, but everything is so fresh. I usually choose the chicken with black beans and rice and green salsa and extra cilantro and shredded cabbage. And if they ask if you want extra jalapenos on that, the answer is yes!

Naturally fish is a big thing here as the town is surrounded by water. A funky, outdoor spot I love is B.O.'s Fishwagon. Don't worry about the rustic surroundings, just step up and order fried or grilled grouper with a salad on the side.

And if you have room after all that, you'll want dessert. Key lime pie is all the rage here, naturally. But if I were you, this being the site of a murder mystery and all, I'd be careful where it comes from. In fact, my preference is to make it myself! (Oops, sorry my photo came out crooked:)

And if you can't make a trip to Key West right away, I hope you enjoy AN APPETITE FOR MURDER! Read more about Lucy Burdette and the Key West food critic mysteries at her website or follow her on facebook or twitter.

New Year, New Adventure!

2012-01-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

By Pepper Martin, detective to the dead and heroine of the Pepper Martin mystery series by Casey Daniels

Happy New Year!

I can’t think of a better way to kick off a new year than with a new adventure. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the publication of "Wild, Wild Death," book #8 in the series named after little ol’ me.
I’m always excited about sharing my stories with readers because there’s always something interesting (and possibly dangerous) happening in my life, and always a ghost tagging along for the fun.

This time, it’s a trip to the great Southwest with long-dead Wild West star Chester Goodshot Gomez along for the ride. You see, I was downsized from my job as a tour guide in a historic Cleveland cemetery, and I had some time on my hands and was looking for a little excitement. It’s a perfect example of Be Careful What You Wish For, when an odd package arrived along with a ransom note. Cute and scruffy paranormal investigator, Dan Callaghan, had been kidnapped and I was told if I didn’t bring Goodshot’s bones to New Mexico–and fast–Dan would die!

"Wild, Wild Death" took me to New Mexico and southern Colorado, a part of the country where I was bowled over by the beauty, and intimidated by the wildness. If that was all I had to think about, it wouldn’t have been a bad little get-away, but once I arrived, the bones got stolen, and bodies started dropping like the desert temperature once the sun goes down.

I had to deal with kidnappers disguised as aliens, a too-hot-to-handle Pueblo police chief and one clever murderer–one whose idea of boot hill had nothing to do with Jimmy Choo.

Breathe!

2012-01-04T00:01:00.001-05:00

By Charlotte Bessette
From LOST AND FONDUE, by Avery Aames

It's the new year and I'm very excited. There are so many things to be thankful for. Jordan and I are growing closer. The twins are growing up. My grandparents are in good health.

Fromagerie Bessette, or The Cheese Shop as the locals call it, is thriving. Over the past year, we've had tons of cheese tastings, and my cousin Matthew has put on some fabulous wine seminars. I learned about the deliciousness of the 2009 crop of Pinot Noirs. Have you tasted any? Yum. I also discovered a few new American cheeses from a number of reps around the country, all of which I'm sharing with my customers. A few locals, others from Vermont and Wisconsin, and others from as far away as Oregon, California, and Alabama. Delish.

But I digress...

Providence itself is thriving. My friend Meredith wants to create a liberal arts college in Providence. Wouldn't that be fabulous? Higher learning right in our very midst? We have so many colorful, educated people in town. I know they'll embrace the idea.

Oh, and I've been taking more yoga classes, which has helped me stretch and work on my breathing. At times I get so busy, busy that I forget to breathe. I feel that way after the holidays, don't you? December is hurry, hurry, hurry for about four weeks straight, and then the whole season is over and it's time to remove the decorations, clean the house, clean the closets. I have to admit that it's about this time of year that my sense of humor fails me, and I find that my teeth are clenched. You couldn't get them open even with the jaws of life.

Breathe, I hear my yoga teacher saying. Breathe. (Yeah, right!) Close your eyes and count backwards from ten. That seems to help.

Life just doesn't seem to stop hopping, does it? [grin]

Oh, did I mention that my grandmother is getting ready to prepare the town for the Winter Faire, a twinkling, magical event set in the Village Green? It's so lovely, especially if it snows. There will be an ice sculpting contest and a fun new play at the Providence Playhouse. The twins will sing at a concert, too.

Do you think you could make a plan to visit the town to enjoy the event? We would love to have you.

*********

You canlearn more about Charlotte
in Lostand Fondue,

available in stores everywhere.

Chat withAvery on Facebook and Twitter.

And watchfor CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT, comingout February 2012.

Also, remember to sign up for Avery's mailing list so you can be

apprised of new releases and upcoming contests.

Rush Creek Reserve

PS: In case you're interested, some of my favorites include Manchego (always a go-to cheese). And Fromage d'Affinois. (Heavenly). And Délice de Bourgogne (creamy goodness from France). Bayley Hazen Blue (Jasper Hill's flagship cheese - Vermont). And a new one, Rush Creek Reserve (from Wisconsin, wrapped in bark). What are yours?

* * * * * * * *

BOOKSELLERS LINK

If You Don’t Make Them, You Can’t Break Them

2012-01-03T00:01:00.003-05:00

By Edna Battersby from the Threadville Mystery series by Janet Bolin

It’s already January third, and if I tell you today that I didn’t make any resolutions for 2012, would you believe me? Or would you simply think I’d made oodles of them, and had already broken every single one of them?

I didn’t make any. Really.

Long ago, I resolved never to make them again, after Miss Agnew, our fifth grade teacher, encouraged us to make them, and to aim high.

She insisted that we should all try to make all A’s on our report cards, and all of us duly wrote down the resolutions we were supposed to make.

It wasn’t until years later that I realized what Miss Agnew deliberately did to us. She held all the power. She could have encouraged everyone to aim high, and to do their best. Instead, she made certain that none of us were able to keep the all A resolution. Everyone, even the top students, got at least one B on their next report card, courtesy of Miss Agnew. Maybe she thought she was doing us a favor by teaching us that life wasn’t fair. Really, though, the woman was just plain mean.

From that day on, I—well, it's not a resolution, but I have tried to encourage people, not discourage them.

Despite Miss Agnew's machinations, my friend Naomi continues to make resolutions, but she won’t tell us what they are. I think I know, though. She resolves to be a better person. It’s working so well that I sometimes wish she’d resolve not to be so sweet and good. Competing can be difficult.

In fact, I wish I could make New Year’s resolutions for people like that nasty Miss Agnew, and somehow make them stick.

On second thought, maybe that’s not such a good idea. What if someone decided I should stop telling them what I really think?

Okay, I’ll let everyone else make their own resolutions, and I’ll make mine. Or not.

Would you dare to make resolutions for others if you thought they could reciprocate?

You can learn more about Edna and how she and her friends helped Willow catch a murderer in DIRE THREADS, available in stores everywhere.

Talk to Janet Bolin on facebook and twitter.

And watch for THREADED FOR TROUBLE, arriving in stores June 5, 2012, and available for pre-order now!

India Hayes’s New Year’s Resolutions

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

By India Hayes from Amanda Flower’s Murder in a Basket

I’m a tad reluctant to write this list because let’s face it New Year’s Resolutions are made to be broken. However, I willing to give it a shot because it’s clear my life can be a little overwhelming at times.

Learn to say “no” and not feel guilty about it. I don’t have volunteer at every event my hippy parents host or do all of Bobby’s, my best friend and fellow librarian’s, work.
Stay as far away from Provost Lepcheck, my boss at Martin College, as possible.
Exercise. Chasing Ina Carroll, my landlady, does not count.
Convince Ina to remove some of the leprechauns from our shared front lawn. One or two at least. I’m tired of folks slowing down to gawk at the duplex when they drive up the street.
Stop worrying about my brother Mark. He’s a grown up and should be able to take care of himself… I think.
Don’t let Carmen, my older sister, boss me around… as much.
Paint more.
Read more. How many great mysteries did I miss in 2011 because I was preoccupied by real life killers? Also, I might pick up a few crime-solving tips.
Try not to blush every time I see Detective Mains. He’s cute, so what? Get a hold of yourself, girl.
Participate in more arts and crafts fairs. The Stripling Founders’ Day Festival is coming up, so that might be a good place to start…

Find out how I do in Murder in a Basket releasing February 8, 2012. Wishing you all a safe and healthy 2012 with good books and laughter!

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

Amanda Flower writes the India Hayes Mystery Series. The first novel in the series, MAID OF MURDER, was nominated for an Agatha Award. The sequel, MURDER IN A BASKET, releases February 2012. First in a new series, A PLAIN DEATH, coming July 2012. To learn more visit Amanda online at http://www.amandaflower.com/. You can also follow Amanda at https://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower and http://twitter.com/aflowerwriter.

Killer Characters New Releases

2012-01-01T05:09:00.046-05:00

Die Job By Lila Dare

After an attempted murder at a supposedly haunted plantation, the ladies of Violetta's beauty salon unravel secrets that link a high school student, a centuries-old crime, and the roots to a very dark mystery.

Buy at:

Mystery Lover's Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

Barnes & Noble

An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette

Hayley Snow's life always revolved around food. But when she applies to be a food critic for a Key West style magazine, she discovers that her new boss would be Kristen Faulkner-the woman Hayley caught in bed with her boyfriend! Hayley thinks things are as bad as they can get-until the police pull her in as a suspect in Kristen's murder. Kristen was killed by a poisoned key lime pie. Now Hayley must find out who used meringue to murder before she takes all the blame.

Buy at:

Mystery Lover's Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

Barnes & Noble

It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...

Buy at:

Mystery Lover's Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

Barnes & Noble

Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels

Her job has been cut, she's low on cash, and her detective sometime- boyfriend refuses to even talk about her ability to see the dead and solve their murders. So Pepper is most certainly down for a vacation to get her spirits up. But when her cute scientist friend Dan is kidnapped, Pepper soon stumbles upon another deadly mystery that brings her to New Mexico. And she's after a clever murderer-one whose idea of Boot Hill has nothing to do with Jimmy Choo.

Buy at:

Mystery Lover's Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

Barnes & Noble

New Year's Eve at the White House

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Olivia Paras, Executive Chef

From the fifth White House Chef Mystery, AFFAIRS OF STEAK, by Julie Hyzy, coming out January 3,2012

Happy New Year!

I’m stealing a few minutes here to say hello because tonight the Hydens are hosting a huge New Year celebration and I’m in charge of the food (natch). With more than three hundred people scheduled to arrive after nine o’clock this evening, I’m relieved we aren’t plating a four-course dinner. Instead, Mrs. Hyden requested we prepare an assortment (a huge assortment!) of appetizers and finger-friendly desserts. We’ll be prepping items and sending them upstairs with tuxedoed butlers until the party winds down. No idea how long the partyers will stay. The Hydens haven’t been at the White House all that long yet, and this is the first time they’re hosting New Year’s Eve.

People ask me if I mind not being able to ring in the new year at home, or at a party of my own. I don’t mind at all. Really. For years, I spent the night all by my lonesome, watching the revelry in Times Square on TV while treating myself to popcorn or Baskin-Robbins chocolate-chip-mint ice cream (a guilty pleasure). You know what? I enjoyed the solitude. I loved being able to reflect on the year that had just passed and to dream and plan for all that was fresh and new ahead of me. I took that quiet time for myself every year, thankful to be alive (after some harrowing experiences), and determined to stay out of trouble going forward.

A few changes this year, however, are requiring adjustment on my part. First off, I’m here at the White House working through the festivities. Second, I have a brand new relationship to consider. This will be our first New Year’s Eve as a couple and I confess that I’m secretly glad to be working—it takes the pressure off. Looking ahead to next year, my team and I may be preparing for another big presidential party, I may make plans to be with that certain someone, or I may be alone with my ice cream and TV. Who knows?

By the way, it’s been a busy year. Very busy, in fact. Shortly after Buffalo West Wing wrapped up, I got involved in a messy murder. Worse, I was teamed with Peter Everett Sargeant when I found the first body… and the second. If you know how well Sargeant and I get along, you’re feeling my pain, aren’t you? I hope you’ll pick up AFFAIRS OF STEAK and find out what happens to us. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes in this one. And in my love life, too. I don’t want to tell you more than that right now because all the fun in life is in discovery, isn’t it?

Hmm… that may be the very sentiment that gets me into trouble all the time. You think?

Can’t worry about that now. I’ve got two hundred cherry tomatoes to stuff.

Be well, enjoy the night, and all my best to you in 2012. By the way, what are your plans this evening?

Ollie

It Takes a Witch

2011-12-30T00:22:00.001-05:00

By Darcy Merriweather from Heather Blake’s It Takes a Witch (available Jan. 3rd!)

Not long after I found out I was a witch (a witch!!!) and moved to the Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, strange things started happening.

First, there’s the pickpocket. Someone’s targeting tourists in the village, snitching cold hard cash from their wallets. Not good for the village’s reputation. A task force was formed to catch the thief, headed by Nick Sawyer, a single dad with a law enforcement background. (The fact that he makes me go weak-kneed is really annoying.)

Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a murder behind Spellbound Bookshop. Talk about bad for the village’s reputation, especially since the woman killed was someone who proclaimed herself to be a witch.

Somehow, my sister Harper and I found ourselves in the thick of things. Since Harper has a (somewhat) criminal background, she was suspected of being the pickpocket. What could I do but try and clear her name by finding the real culprit?

And when my aunt Ve’s boyfriend is suspected of the murder, I have to jump in and try to find the killer. It’s the least I can do for Ve, right?

Because sometimes It Takes a Witch to get things done around here.

Done right is another matter altogether...

Wishing You Good Things for the New Year

2011-12-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

Coming March 2012

By Nell Pratt, from the Museum Mysteries by Sheila Connolly

Most people don't think about visiting museums during the holiday season, unless they have to entertain restless children on a long school break. But a library is not high on the list of child-friendly places, so usually we can count on some welcome peace and quiet.

I always heave a sigh of relief when we've finally sent out our holiday cards. Yes, at the Society we still send out real cards. It may seem an old-fashioned tradition in these days of electronic everything, but many of our members and supporters are not young, and they appreciate a nice card. They especially appreciate a signed card, and one with a personal message—handwritten in ink. We try to find a picture from our collections (one year we almost goofed because the lovely winter scene of Center City in the 19th century included a dead horse in one corner, if you looked very closely, but we noticed it in time). We send cards to all of our members—that used to be my responsibility as director of development—but only the upper levels get the fancy ones signed by the Society president. That would be me now. The Society is lucky to have so many dedicated supporters in these difficult times, but I don't feel quite so lucky when I have to sign a few hundred cards and try to think of something meaningful and personalized to add to many of them.

But that chore is finished for this year, and now my staff and I can sit back, take a breath, and think about what we hope to accomplish in the coming year. Of course, if it's anything like this past year, there will be a lot of unexpected events, but I'm proud of how my staff has stepped up and carried on even under challenging circumstances. They're great people, mostly. I wish I could pay them all what they deserve, but luckily they're here for the love of history, not for the money.

And at the end of the day I can go home to my snug carriage house in the suburbs, light a fire in my small but working fireplace, and contemplate the tiny Christmas tree in the corner (please don't tell me I need to take it down already--I haven't had time to enjoy it yet!). Wonder if I'm going to hear from my favorite FBI agent…

Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Granny Gert’s Special-K-Bars

2011-12-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

by Granny Gert

of the

Fortune Teller Mysteries

by Kari Lee Townsend

Hello, yoo-hoo, anyone in here? This is Granny Gert from Kari Lee Townsend’s Fortune Teller Series. I am first introduced in book two, CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL, which comes out in June of 2012. I am just thrilled she decided to write me in. Why, I just love Divinity. It’s such a quaint, small town. A big difference from New York City. You see, my basement flooded, so my daughter Vivian Meadows, is taking care of having it fixed for me. The repairmen seemed to be backed way up, or so she tells me, and she suggested I go visit my granddaughter, Sunny. Sunny seems to think her dear old mom is up to some tomfoolery, and this is her way of keeping her eye on her only daughter. I do have to say I wouldn’t put it past her. I am much more like Sunny than Vivian is which she has always resented. I can’t help it our glasses are always half full, unlike, ahem, hers. But don’t tell her I said so. She can be so darn cranky sometimes.

Anywho, I just love Sunny’s darling pet, Morty. He’s so mysterious and such a beautiful cat. Sunny was amazed when he took a shine to me as well. I guess he doesn’t warm up to most people, especially that handsome young fellow, Detective Mitch Stone. Although, I can see why. He can be a bit grumpy at times, but I can see right through him to the big softy he is on the inside. Anyway, Morty even allowed me to make him some adorable bowtie’s out of Sunny’s old curtains. Can you believe that perfectly good material was just stuffed in a closet wasting away? Back in my day, we didn’t waste anything. I still use all the aprons I made out of old flour sacks, and my cookie jar is just dandy, even though the lid broke years ago. I wrapped a plate in foil, and it works just as well as the original cover. Maybe even better. My husband always said no one’s cookies taste better than mine, especially when I keep them in that old pumpkin cookie jar. Sunny jokes that I have a cookie for everything, and I have to admit, she’s probably right. But since my husband passed away a while back, I don’t have anyone to share them with. At least I didn’t, but now that’s all changed since I have Sunny and Morty.

She doesn’t know it yet, but I think I might stick around for a while.

Speaking of cookies, with the holidays here, I thought you all might like to have the recipe for one of my favorites … Special-K-Bars! They are quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious. I’ll share the recipe below, and you be sure to let me know what you think. Be jolly, be merry, be safe…and have a wonderful and happy new year filled with amazing things to come in 2012.

Special-K-Bars

Mix 1 cup Karo Syrup with 1 cup sugar in a large sauce pan

Bring just to a boil and then remove from burner

Stir in 1 ½ cups of creamy peanut butter until melted

Stir in 6 cups Special K Cereal

Press mixture into buttered 9x13 pan

Melt 12 oz bag of Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips (double boiler style)

Pour over mixture

Put in refrigerator, let harden, cut and enjoy!

Toodles! See you all in June

The best Christmas I ever had

2011-12-27T00:01:00.009-05:00

By Florence Semple, from the Penny Brannigan series by Elizabeth J. Duncan

This Christmas was meant to be special for me, as it was my first one here in Llanelen. It turned out special, all right, but not in the way I had in mind. In the run up to Christmas I was practically accused of stealing a diamond brooch and suspected of murdering someone. And there's me thinking it was going to be nice and quiet here in this little Welsh town, after the hustle and bustle of Liverpool, where I lived most of my life. I live with my friend Evelyn Lloyd as a sort of companion/housekeeper and I'm happy here, sharing her lovely home.

But do you know, this Christmas turned out to be one of the best I ever had, with lots of fun, excitement and intrigue, not to mention parties and mince pies.

I even got to make a few turkey sandwiches for the local police on Christmas Day. But far too much went on to tell you about here. If you really want to know what happened, read A Killer's Christmas in Wales.

Things are quieter now. We're in that peaceful lull between Christmas and New Year's. So there's time for reflection, making plans and taking quiet walks when the weather holds. The evenings draw in early so we close the curtains, Evelyn and I, put on the fire, have dinner and watch a bit of telly. If there's nothing on, we read. Evelyn has her magazines and I have my library books. We're eating up the rest of the Christmas cake and the turkey is just about gone. I'll make a pot of soup in the next day or two, I expect. I can't bear to see anything go to waste.

We don't have any plans for New Year's Eve. There was supposed to be a big dance party at the community centre but the fellow who was going to organize it went and got himself killed. Dead men don't dance!

Another year over, as John Lennon said. I used to work at the art college in Liverpool, and yes, I knew him. You can read all about that in A Brush with Death.

The characters in the Penny Brannigan series are returning to Llanelen now, to get ready for their fourth book, A Small Hill to Die On, scheduled for publication in October, 2012. Thank you for spending time with us and we wish you all the best for 2012.

Oh, What a Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.073-05:00

by Arabella Andrews from the Sweet Nothings Series by Meg London.

What a wonderful Christmas this has been! My niece, Emma, is now here in Paris, Tennessee with me, and her parents came up from Florida to join us. I haven’t seen my sister, Maribel, in ages, and it was wonderful to be together again!

Everyone was focused on Emma and Brian. We knew he had something special for her, but we weren’t sure what it was going to be. I’m sure more than one of us had images of sparkly things!

What a feast we enjoyed! A delicious pan of cheese grits, beef tenderloin with béarnaise sauce, twice baked potatoes and fresh peas. Best of all was sharing it with friends and family—Emma, her parents, Brian and his sister Liz and her husband Matt and their beautiful children Alice and Ben. Our friend Sylvia Brodsky joined us as well and brought some delicious Russian caviar to add to our feast.

It was so sweet because, as I’ve already said, we expected Brian to have something very important for Emma. But we really should have realized that they’ve only been seeing each other for a short time. So Brian’s gift was absolutely perfect—the most adorable bundle of fur named Baby Doll—the cutest kitten you’ve ever seen!

As I said, the most perfect Christmas ever! And we’re all quite positive that next Christmas, Brian and Emma…well, I’m sure you can guess what we’re hoping for!`

Mishaps and Mistletoe

2011-12-25T00:01:00.072-05:00

And then there was the time that . . .

Casey Calhoun from the White House Gardener mysteries by Dorothy St. James attacked a Secret Service agent with her homegrown pepper spray.

Kiki Lowenstein from the Scrap-n-Craft mysteries by Joanna Campbell Slan lit her homemade paper mache Hanukkah menorah candles--and they caught on fire and set the tablecloth to blazing. Kiki grabbed her daughter Anya and ran outside, but the door locked behind them so leaving the two stuck outside in sub-zero weather and wearing only their pajamas. Happy Holidays--and may your Festival of Lights stay under control!

Savannah Martin from the Cutthroat Business mysteries by Jenna Bennett scandalized her family and the entire town of Sweetwater by kissing Rafe Collier under the mistletoe!

India Hayes from the India Hayes Mystery Series by Amanda Flower wore a pink gingham pioneer dress.

Hayley Snow from the Key West food critic mysteries by Lucy Burdette used the Christmas lights from her houseboat to tie up a killer.

Charlie Harris from the Cat in the Stacks mysteries by Miranda James went to a holiday fundraiser for the Friends of Athena Public Library and found a dead body....

Skye Denison from the Scumble River mysteries by Denise Swanson got caught under the mistletoe by Earl Doozier. Ew!

Meg Corey from the Orchard Mysteries by Sheila Connolly discovered that her furnace was dead, in the middle of an old-fashioned New England blizzard--and found a new way to keep warm with a little help from Seth Chapin.

Angus O'Ruff (Marcy Singer's Irish wolfhound) from the embroidery mysteries by Amanda Lee knocked the Christmas tree over when he jumped up to get a better look at a particularly sparkly ornament. Merry Christmas, everybody!

Charlotte Bessette (from A Cheese Shop Mystery series by Avery Aames) almost set the house on fire on Christmas Eve when she forgot about the rosemary and tomato pizzas in the oven. {Rosemary and tomatoes...red and green?] Ah, yes. Crispy! Luckily, everybody liked crispy. [Liars.] Merry, merry, do not bring down the house!

Lizzie Turner from the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries by Erika Chase, in hindsight, realizes it wasn't the best time to introduce her boyfriend Mark's hound puppy to her two cats (Edam & Brie). Edam ran upstairs while Brie ran up the Christmas tree. Then Patchett (the puppy) thought the tree looked like a lot of fun, too. It was Merry...have a Merry Christmas, too!

Dorothy Parker, from the Algonquin Round Table Mysteries by J.J. Murphy, was given egg nog with too much egg—and not nearly enough nog! (Ah well, she still put the "miss" in the mistletoe that year.)

Tally Jones from the Mysteries a la Mode by Wendy Lyn Watson went online to order a Mrs. Claus outfit to wear as she dished up peppermint ice cream at the Remember the A-la-mode during the Dalliance tree-lighting festival. She pulled it out of the box at the dinner table--with her cousin Bree, her niece Alice, her Grandma Peachy, and Finn Harper all in attendance--and discovered it was made of sheer organza with red satin garters. Lucky Santa! Naughty or nice, have a happy holiday.

Someone tried to strangle Natasha, from the Domestic Diva Mysteries by Krista Davis, with her own Christmas lights!

Gigi Fitzgerald from the Gourmet Diet De-Lite mysteries by Peg Cochran was too close to the mistletoe when the wrong guy came along.

Willow Vanderling from the Threadville mysteries by Janet Bolin knocked a whole magnum of champagne off the balcony railing.

Truffle and Sweet Marie from the Charlotte Adams Mystery Series by Mary Jane Maffini locked themselves in the car with all the gifts.

Happy Holidays to all of our readers!

Action Figure Shopping!

2011-12-24T00:00:00.002-05:00

By Kate Connolly from Diana Orgain’s Maternal Instincts Mysteries

I made the mistake of putting off the balance of my holiday shopping. I say “balance” because I usually buy a gift of two throughout the year, but I’m never so organized as to actually FINISH early. (Will put it on my to-do list now though.)

So there I stood this morning (at least it was early) in a huge big box store and debated over the action figures. Let me just say this – WHY can’t they all be the same size? There are 3in, 4in, 6in, 7in, 8in, and 12in (at least). So if you’d like a superhero to wrangle a bad guy – you have to carefully compare their sizes. Of course, it obvious with the large ones, but the difference with some of them is not that great and with the packaging you can barely tell. But how can you have a 3in Spiderman (who is already slim) overtake a giant 4in lizard? No. The 3in lizard is already bigger than Spiderman – so you can’t go to 4in. But the store is out of the 3in lizard.

I had to settle for the Green Goblin – after some confusion about the Green Lantern – who is a hero and not a villain. Really?

Because my best friend Paula's son gave me very very explicit instructions or as he says "constructions" on what to get him for Christmas, I settled on a 3in Spiderman and a villian for him to defeat.

Then the check-out! Never mind the fact that the line was non-existent when I got to the store, but after I finished in the toy aisle the line was around the store. I did it for the most adorable little boy I know.

I hope your holiday shopping has gone smoother than mine. What was your most challenging gift to buy/find this year?

Give of Yourself by Althea Jenkins

2011-12-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

from the Southern Beauty Shop mysteries by Lila Dare

I almost called this post "Give of Yourself during the Holidays," but then I realized we should be giving of ourselves year round, so I changed the title.

If I were a man, people would be calling me a curmudgeon now that I've started on my seventh decade. If it's curmudgeonly to think that people have become way too materialistic, especially around the holidays, then you're darn tootin' I'm a curmudgeon. Why, Stella's daughter and husband gave her a list to shop from during the holidays, complete with model numbers, sizes and preferred colors. Rachel says her folks are putting money in her college fund. When I was growing up, what Santa left under the tree was always a surprise, even though me and my sisters might have dropped a few hints.

I've mixed up a special moisturizer, just for by best friend Violetta, that's scented with violets because they're her favorites. I hope she likes it, but if she doesn't it, I won't know because she'll appreciate the effort I put into it and thank me for that. Maybe that's why we've been best friends for more than forty years.

As I've aged, I've come to think that gift giving is more about how you receive the gift than what it is. I still cringe when I think back to my first Christmas with William, before that murderous Beau Landry had him done away with, when he gave me a gift set of perfume and powder that weren't my scent. I let my disappointment show. At the time, I figured a husband ought to know what scent his wife wears, and I was angry with William for not "knowing" me. I learned later that we can't count on anyone--husbands, friends, children--noticing that kind of thing and it doesn't mean diddly squat about how much they love us. If I still had my William, and he gave me a new scent, I'd ditch my old stuff and wear what he gave me, even if it smelled like a skunk in heat. Because it's about the love in the gift, not the gift itself.

One of the things that makes me happiest is seeing women wearing the little bracelets or necklaces their kids made for them in their kindergarten classes. Tacky plastic beads or chunky charms strung on a piece of crooked wire. I can just imagine how happy is made little Ella Sue or Lonnie to see Mommy wearing the jewelry they made for her. Even thought it might clash with her outfit, and it isn't all la-di-dah, those gifts become a woman better than anything from Kay Jewelers or Jared.

Well, I've yammered on long enough and I know y'all have got places to be and things to do to get ready for Christmas. I wouldn't presume to tell you how to behave--that would be right pushy of me--but I will say that I plan to accept every gift I get this year with thanks and enthusiasm, to wear it, display it, or use it, no matter if it's my size, my color or my taste, because the real gift is having people in your life who love you enough to spend time and money and energy on making you something or buying you something. And I'm grateful for that every minute of every day, holiday or not.

Die Job, the third Southern Beauty Shop mystery, goes on sale Jan 3!

Sausage Bread

2011-12-22T09:46:00.001-05:00

From: A Fitting End, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery, book 2
By: Melissa Bourbon
Publication Date: Feb 7, 2012
Website: http://melissabourbon.com

All the Cassidy women are good with a needle and in the kitchen. Fried okra. Red Velvet marbled peppermint cake. Cornbread. We've got Southern cooking mastered.

One special holiday recipe Meemaw created is Sausage Bread. Now, plenty of people probably make something real similar, but this is the Cassidy version, and it's mighty tasty as a snack with mustard, alongside a pot of your favorite winter soup, or with scrambled eggs. No matter how you slice it, it's a delicious treat.

Sausage Bread
* 2 loaves frozen French bread dough, risen (or make your own bread dough!)

* 2 packages pork sausage, cooked and crumbled (we love Jimmy Dean; you can also use vegetarian sausage)

1. Roll out bread dough to form a large rectangle.

2. Spread slightly cooled, cooked, and crumbled sausage on the rolled out dough.

3. Working from the long end of the rectangle, roll up dough as you would a jelly roll.

4. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet.

5. Brush with egg white, if desired, and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until bread is golden brown.

Makes 2 loaves!

Wishing y'all a very Merry Christmas! See ya in 2012.

The Louse Who Stole Christmas

2011-12-21T01:00:00.002-05:00

By: Becca Leighton Burke

From: The Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series

Author: Victoria Hamilton

Book 1 Title: A Deadly Grind

Pub. Date: May 2012

I'm stepping in to post for Jaymie this month, because, well... just because. I told her not to worry about anything, and she was fussing about this, and I said I'd take care of it. She's packed up Hoppy and Denver (the dog and cat... Denver didn't take it well, being shoved in a carrier; he's now hiding under the bed in the guest bedroom) and taken off to Canada to spend Christmas with Grandma Leighton and me.

You see, Jaymie's nursing a broken heart.

What happened? Well... she's been dating Joel Anderson for a while now, and though I didn't like him, he seemed to make her happy. She was full of plans for Christmas with Joel. Strolling along the riverfront during Queensville's Dickens Days, my home town's annual nod to Christmas in Victorian England, mulled cider at the bandstand while the Wolverhampton High band struggled through Oh Come All Ye Faithful, and home to our (co-owned) lovely yellow brick house for a romantic fire in the fireplace.

How do I know all this, about her plans? Well, she sobbed it into my rayon blouse during a couple of hours at my place, after she drove the two hours to get to London, Ontario, where I live, to spend Christmas with me and our grandmother, who lives in a retirement home. I'm fifteen years older than my little sister, and sometimes I feel like a second mom to her.

She'll be okay. She's smart, and strong, and better than the likes of Joel Anderson. I know from my secret sources (Valetta Nibley and DeeDee Stubbs, my two high school friends from Queensville) that Joel has already moved in with some little blonde bimbo who just moved into town. He'd better not cross me, because there is no fury like a Leighton whose sister has been scorned.

And I'll make sure Jaymie has a good Christmas. Our parents are up from Florida, and we'll all be together. Jaymie's only 32... she'll get over it and find someone better to love. I ought to know; I've been twice married, twice divorced. Life goes on.

Have you ever had a Christmas that didn't go quite the way you planned? I ache for anyone whose heart is broken this time of year; it can feel like the end of the world, but it's not. I just want to urge everyone; if you know someone who is hurting this Christmas, do a little something for them.

The best gift you can give is your time. Reach out, show them how beautiful the world still is, and take them cookies, chocolate, preferably, if it's a broken hearted woman.

And have yourself a merry little Christmas!

The Joy of Christmas Giving

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

Francie Vanderhoosen

blogs for the

Domestic Diva Mysteries

by Krista Davis

In my younger days, when my husband was still alive and our house fairly sparkled with Christmas lights, I brought a homemade chocolate silk pie over to a lonely neighbor in her seventies. She took one look at that thick, uneven crust and said, "I don't eat pie."

Well, gosh, what do you say to that? I meant to do something nice for a woman who was alone for Christmas, and what did I get for my efforts? A big fat bah humbug!

Now I'm in her shoes. I'm the old widow on the block and the younger women think they're doing me favors. Two years ago, Natasha came by and hung a fuchsia wreath on my door. What do you say to something like that?

I said, "Where in the dickens do they sell fuchsia wreaths?"

She said, and very proudly I might add, "I made it myself."

Let's be honest. If she had brought me a pie, I could have accepted it and thrown it out. But what could I do with that fuchsia wreath? I mean, people would think that's my taste!

So I took it down and told her the dog ate it. Then last year, she hung a neon red mess on my front door. I don't know what's wrong with her!

What happened to green wreaths made of pine, and adorned with berries and pine cones or even just a nice red bow?

So this year, I'm a step ahead of her. I bought a nice green wreath, just like the ones I used to make myself, and I've already hung it on my door. And I bought a lovely purple feather gizmo and hung it on Natasha's front door. Wonder what she'll say?

Hehehe. The joy of Christmas giving! I believe I'll pour myself a nice eggnog and spike it with a little bourbon. Y'all have yourselves a good Christmas!

Tell Us A Story

2011-12-19T01:45:00.007-05:00

By Beth Kennedy from Foul Play at the PTA, July 2011, second in Laura Alden’s PTA Mystery Series

“Tell us a Christmas story, Mom,” my 11 year-old daughter begged.

Oliver, my young son, bounced up and down. “Yeah, a story! Make it have snow.”

“And horses,” Jenna said.

“And lots of snow!”

I looked at my offspring, then at our immediate surroundings. Boxes of Christmas tree ornaments were scattered everywhere. Strings of lights hung over every piece of furniture in the family room, and, despite an hour of trying, the tree still wasn’t what you’d call straight.

“I’ll tell a story,” I said, “as long as you two keep working.”

They bobbed their heads in agreement. I plugged the first string of lights into the wall. Small colored pinpricks of light burst into bloom. A good omen, if there ever was one. Handing the lights to Jenna, I picked up the next string.

“Back in the days before airplanes and cars,” I began, “people used trains to travel.”

“There were trains before cars?” Oliver asked.

“Shh,” Jenna whispered. “You know what she says, don’t interrupt or she’ll stop the story.”

“Back in the heydey of the train,” I went on, “every town had a train depot. There were freight trains and passenger trains and smaller trains that took people back and forth between the towns.”

“That sounds cool,” Jenna said. “Why don’t we still do that?”

“Shhh!” shushed Oliver.

“But in the tiny town where your great-great-grandmother grew up, way up north, there was only one train a day. Everybody knew that it arrived at 1:20 in the afternoon. You could set your watch by it, they said, and people did.”

Simpler times. I went momentarily wistful, then shook my head. Those times also included simpler methods of personal hygiene, medical care, and urban infrastructure. How could the good old days have been that good if they didn’t include indoor plumbing?

“Then one year,” I said, “just before Christmas, it snowed and snowed and snowed. The train couldn’t make it through. The special train plow couldn’t keep up with all the snow that was falling and there was no train for almost a week.”

“Special Christmas groceries were coming on the train. Christmas presents ordered from Sears & Roebuck were coming on the train. People started to wonder if there was going to be a Christmas at all. The grown-ups went around with worried looks on their faces and the children started to wonder if Santa himself would be able to make it.”

“More snow fell, and even more. No train and no hope of one until the snow stopped. On Christmas Eve your great-great-great-grandfather hitched up his horses – the best team in the county – and went off without a word to anyone.”

“All that day, it snowed. Your great-great-great-grandmother spent the entire afternoon at the window, watching for her husband.”

“And still the snow fell.”

I went silent for a moment, feeling the fear she must have felt, raw and scratchy and dark. My breaths grew short and panicky. Chill, Beth, I told myself. I swallowed down my imagination and went on. “Then, just as it was getting dark, she saw dim shapes through the snow. It was your great-great-great-grandfather, his sled laden with barrels of food and crates of presents.”

“And, though he’d left by himself, he had a companion as he drove back into town. Sitting next to him on the sled was Santa Claus. ‘Ho, ho, ho!’ Santa called as they came into town, waving at everyone. ‘Merry Christmas!’”

“Our great-great-great-grandpa saved Christmas?” Jenna asked, eyes wide.

“He sure did.” I stood on my tippy toes and put the angel sewn by my grandmother onto the top of the tree.

“That’s a good story,” Oliver said. “I like it a lot.”

“And I like this good looking tree,” I said. We were standing in front of the now-decorated Christmas tree. Lights twinkled and decorations glittered. It looked so beautiful that you hardly even noticed the slight northward tilt of the tree trunk.

“Merry Christmas, Mom,” Jenna said.

“Yeah.” Oliver threw his arms around my waist. “Merry Christmas.”

I drew Jenna close and hugged my children tight to my heart. “Merry Christmas, Sweetie. Merry Christmas, Ollster.”

Forever and ever and ever.

Have Yourself a Thrifty Little Christmas--and Party Hearty!

2011-12-18T03:32:00.004-05:00

by Kiki Lowenstein, the star of Joanna Campbell Slan's Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries (aka Scrap-n-Craft Mysteries), including the now-available Kindle short story "Kiki Lowenstein and the Secret Santa" (only 99 cents)

It might be the season for eggnog, but my Friday night croppers were obsessed with wine-- make that whine. Our annual Holiday Scrapbook Party, otherwise known as a "crop," was quickly turning from festive to futile. Seems that the tough economy was taking a toll on my papercrafting friends. I set aside the a scrapbook page I was creating to give them my full attention.

"What am I going to do?" Luella Fitzherbert threw up her hands and wailed. "I'm broke--and even if I had the money to buy my niece and cousins gifts, I don't have big bucks to send anything that'll require expensive postage."

Clarissa Stufleven nodded in agreement. "Kiki, my husband has been out of work for a year and a half. We just don't have the money to buy fancy gifts--and my teenage girls are incredibly picky."

"Tell me about it," said Elora Jones. "My son Tyrone doesn't like anything unless it has a designer label on it. If it isn't something special, Ty turns up his nose! He's furnishing his first apartment and everything has to be just so."

"I told my husband that if anyone knew how to stretch a buck, it was you," Luella said, admiringly. "You're always broke and but you're still creative. That's a great combination! What can you suggest?"

I have to admit: I'm a whiz when it comes to cheap but good. So here's what I told my customers...

1. For that special relative who lives far away --

Save time and postage! Buy her one of my two newest adventures, and send them as gifts for her Kindle. There's Kiki Lowenstein and the Secret Santa, where I try to help a grumpy customer with surprising results.

Or choose Ink, Red, Dead, which tells the story of what happened when one of my customers turned out to be a cat hoarder who had human corpse in her freezer. Both short stories are only 99 cents! (If she doesn't have a Kindle, she can upload a Kindle app and read them on her computer.)

2. For those picky teenage girls -- Let the elves at Amazon do the heavy lifting. You have until Monday, Dec. 19, to order from Amazon and still be sure the gifts will arrive before Christmas. So I suggest you let the girls learn a new hobby: Zentangle. All they need is this fabulous book: Yoga for the Brain: A Zentangle Workout by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, and a few ink pens, plus a pad of paper and they're ready to go!

"Zentangle?" The three of them asked in chorus.

"Zentangle," I repeated patiently. "It's zen for the mind. Using pens or markers and paper, you can personalize just about anything. And, it's easy to learn. Let me show you some gifts I made with this neat art form."

This lovely journal starts with one of those cheap composition notebooks and turns it into a memorable and useful gift. Who couldn't use a place to keep a diary or take notes?

A pencil bag like this sells for less than a dollar. Just draw an area slightly larger than the clear window on your paper, do your "tangle" or design, and then add sticker letters. This bag is for an author to hold her signing supplies (pens, "Autograph Copy" stickers, breath mints and business cards).
You can do something very similar with clear make-up bags that they sell in most drugstores. To reinforce the "tangle," simply cover it with clear packing tape.

This is a mandala. Framed, it would be a perfect gift for the person who needs more serenity in life.

Although traditional Zentangle is strictly black and white, color can be yummy. I started by painting a piece of watercolor paper with cheap watercolor paints. Before the paint dried, I sprinkled on sea salt. The sea salt lifts color and adds lovely dimension. After the paper dried, I wrote the name "JANE" in pencil. When I had what I wanted, I outlined it with colored pen. Then I "tangled" the rest of the images. I put a darker piece of paper behind my "tangle." I sandwiched both pieces of paper between plastic that I saved from a plastic raspberry carton. Then I ran clear packing tape around the edge to "seal" the image--and finally I punched a hole and added a ring.

3. For the fashion forward person who appreciates the finer things in life -- Make a Zentangle design and frame it. Chose a silhouette that represents something that person enjoys. Here's one that features the outline of a concert grand piano...

"And finally, ladies," I said, "I think you should be thinking about gifts for yourselves."

"Huh?" Luella raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"How many holiday parties have you attended? Hmmm? Were they fun? Laid back? Did you leave with a gift in hand?" I challenged all three of my scrapbookers and none of the women could say, "Sure did!"

Elora tapped her finger to her lips. "What are you on about, Kiki Lowenstein?"

"Consider this your official invitation to an online party on Thursday, December 22, at 9 p.m. EST to Midnight," I said. "All you have to do is visit this Facebook page--and you'll be able to attend. You can even attend in your pajamas! Guest authors will be Monica Ferris, Betty Hechtman, Joanna Campbell Slan, Gloria Alvarez, Diana Orgain and Julie James. All the authors will have something cool to give away. Most of them are contributing something handmade or a signed copy of at least one of their books. All you need to do is show up at Joanna's Facebook page."

"Speaking of what to wear to parties, I'm amazed that you are improperly dressed," said Clarissa.

"Me?" I try hard to look nice, but with a limited budget I rely on clothes from Goodwill and sales. Now I swallowed hard. Had my standards slipped?

"That's right," Clarissa said, shaking a finger at me. "With all that great holiday advice, you should be dressed like one of Santa's helpers!"

What could I say but, "Ho, ho, ho!"

**

For more information, email Joanna at joannaslan@aol.com or visit her at http://www.joannaslan.com/ You can pre-order the next Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft book -- Ready, Scrap, Shoot -- today! (April, 2012 release/Midnight Ink)

Southern Christmas

2011-12-17T00:15:00.050-05:00

by Savannah Martin, from Jenna Bennett's Cutthroat Business mysteries

I grew up on what's left of the Martin plantation, a few acres of ground outside a little town called Sweetwater, Tennessee, about an hour or a little more south of Nashville. About halfway between Columbia and Pulaski, if that means anything to you.

The mansion is antebellum, 1839, and looks like a Southern plantation should. In the movies, plantation houses are big and white and square with tall pillars. In real life, a lot are red or yellow brick, and only the pillars are white. Some aren’t made of brick at all, and don’t have any pillars. Throughout the deep south, especially Louisiana, you get the French Creole architecture instead: the low spreading roofline and wraparound galleries, all starting well above ground level.

The Martin plantation is pretty typical of its age and location. It’s two stories tall, built from red brick, with symmetrical windows and tall, white pillars in the front. My sort-of-boyfriend Rafe Collier once called it a mausoleum, and although I was a little offended at the time, I can see his point.

It belonged to my father’s family, and after daddy died, my mother turned it into a special events venue. People rent it for weddings and other parties, and at least once or twice a year, a photographer brings several rail thin models down for a photo shoot, while a handful of music videos have been filmed on the grounds. And then there are the school groups, who come to gawk at the slave cabin and the artifacts of the old days laid out in the smoke house.

Every Christmas Eve, mother has a shindig for family and friends. It brings her children together under one roof, and since the mansion is almost 5,000 square feet, there’s plenty of room for all of us. My brother Dix has two children, and my sister Catherine and her husband have three. The whole family comes, including my Aunt Regina—my dad’s sister—and her husband, and my mother’s best friend Audrey. Various townsfolk come and go throughout the evening, paying their respects to the lady of the manor. The others don't stay the night, of course, since they live in town. I do. And in the morning, mother and I gather in the parlor for breakfast and presents.

There's only one problem this year. The only thing I want to unwrap on Christmas morning won't be under the tree. He'll be in Atlanta. And even if he weren't, mother wouldn't welcome him in her home. And let's face it, it's not like I could have unwrapped him in the parlor anyway.

Much as I would have liked to.

So what about you? What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas this year?

* * *

Jennie Bentley AKA Jenna Bennett writes the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime and the Cutthroat Business mysteries for her own gratification. The 5th book in the series, A Done Deal, was released in digital format only on December 15th. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Christmas Southern Style

2011-12-16T06:57:00.010-05:00

Regan Summerside here in Savannah.

No chance of a white Christmas but the whole city sure decks itself out.

Today I’m getting together the fixings for Christmas dinner southern style. If you live north of the Ohio River or west of the Mississippi your Christmas dinner will be a might different from ours here in Georgia.

The recipes have all been in the Summerside family since before the time of that unfortunate Northern aggression.

Two meats are essential for Christmas dinner in the south, ham and roast turkey. The ham can be spiral, country or smoked . The turkery roasts in the over all day long, driving us all insane with the delish aroma.

You have your pick of vegetables at Christmas dinner in the South. Collard greens with ham hocks are a favorite, along with corn, green bean casserole and candied yams topped with a thick layer of marshmallows.

Homemade mashed potatoes with milk, lots of butter, salt and pepper are a must at a southern Christmas dinner. Southern potato salad is made with red potatoes, finely chopped celery, hard boiled eggs, onion, Miracle Whip and a bit of mustard to give it that zing.

Christmas dinner has to have everyone's favorite pasta dish, homemade baked macaroni and cheese. Don't be stingy with the butter when the elbow macaroni is done. One or two different cheeses may be used, shredded cheddar and American cheese. Some southern households only use one or the other, some use both.

A big part of a southern Christmas dinner is the sweets and dessert is no exception. Pecan pie is often front and center on the dessert table. A must have is divinity, a light, white, soft fudge made with egg whites, sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and pecans or walnuts. Other must have desserts include coconut cake, caramel cake and pound cake.

What are you serving for Christmas dinner? What is your favorite dish in your part of the country? Do you have fruitcake? Eggnog with lots of nog? Sauerkraut and ribs?

Let me know what your Christmas table has on it and I’ll pick a winner and mail off a $10 Starbucks card. Not as good as my pecan coffee here in Savannah but fair-to-middlin’ all the same.

Merry Christmas to you from Reagan, Auntie KiKi and that scum-sucking lawyer, Walker Boone, who may be handsome as all get out but one big pain in my patoot.

http://www.duffybrown.com

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Yule Get a Kick Out of This!

2011-12-15T01:00:00.003-05:00

By Dorothy Parker of the Algonquin Round Table Mysteries, by J.J. Murphy

For Christmas this year, all I want is one perfect hour in the company of loved ones.

But during the remaining 23 hours I’ll gladly take piles of presents.

What are you wishing for this Christmas? Perhaps you’d like a little something from my era, commonly known as the Roaring 20s. I’m very happy to see that this illustrious and colorful period seems to be having a renaissance in your technophilic 21st century. With this in mind, here is a short list of Jazz Age gift items you may wish to consider for your loved ones:

• “Boardwalk Empire” on DVD. That lizard-like Steve Buscemi fellow doesn’t strike me as much of a bootlegging gangster, but then again I’d prefer he didn’t strike me whatsoever. Still, this has been a very popular series and a wonderful vision of the Prohibition period.

• Cocktail shaker. Nothing adds to the holiday spirit more than...holiday spirits! And, you’ll need a good cocktail shaker if you want to shake up a good cocktail party.

• Cloche hat. It’s lovely to see one of my favorite styles of hat come back into vogue. I tried on a new cloche hat at one of your mammoth suburban boutiques (the place was called Wal-fart or some such obscene thing). But the hat was too small—too cloche for comfort.

• “Prohibition” on DVD. This was a wonderful PBS documentary (by Ken Burns) about a terrible idea: Prohibition.

• The Portable Dorothy Parker. It’s been in print for nearly 70 years and still hasn’t gone out of style. (Wish I could say the same for the author.)

Of course, they say the best gifts don’t come from a store, but from the heart. They also say money can’t buy you happiness. Well, who gives a damn what they say—I’m willing to give it the old college try. Happy Holidays!

Dorothy Parker returns in YOU MIGHT AS WELL DIE, now available. She also appears in the short story HAIR OF THE DOG: An Algonquin Round Table mini-Mystery, available on Kindle and Nook.

www.roundtablemysteries.com

www.facebook.com/RoundTableMysteries

The Cocoa Conspiracy

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

by Lady Arianna Hadley, now the Countess of Saybrook
from THE COCOA CONSPIRACY, by Andrea Penrose

I was looking forward to a quiet, peaceful autumn, really I was. My recent marriage to the Earl of Saybrook had, for the first time in my early childhood, afforded me a measure of stability in life. No more flitting from one rowdy, rum-drenched Caribbean harbor to another, trying to eek out living through my wits—and my cooking skills. And most of all, no more seeking revenge on the unscrupulous highborn gentlemen who had murdered my father to protect their business interests. Saybrook and I had become reluctant allies in bringing them to justice. We each had vastly different reasons for our actions, but to our mutual surprise, we worked together quite well. I suppose it was rather like cooking—when one is bold enough to combine unlikely ingredients, the result can be . . . delicious.

But I digress. How we came to be married—admittedly a marriage of convenience—is a whole other story. The fact is, despite our many differences, we have much in common. We both love the intellectual challenge of solving conundrums (and despite the fact that I honed my wits on the hardscrabble streets of the slums while Saybrook studied the classic and botany at Oxford, we both are rather good at it.) We also both prefer to pursue our own eccentric interests rather than attend the glittering parties of Polite Society. And we both have a fascination for Theobroma cacao—more commonly known as chocolate.

Chocolate.

It’s all because of the chocolate book that my plans went up in smoke. I spotted the book of rare engravings at a fancy bookshop in London—the ones that I can now afford to patronize—and thought it the perfect birthday gift for Saybrook, who is writing a scholarly history of the plant. I, too, have literary aspirations concerning chocolate, for I’m translating his Spanish grandmother’s diaries and recipes.

So as you see, a lengthy interlude of sweet solitude was what we both were craving. Sugar and spice . . . But hidden inside the binding of the chocolate book was a shocking secret. And before butter could melt in my mouth, we found ourselves journeying to Austria, where amid the pomp and splendor of the Congress of Vienna—where the rulers of Europe reveled in the decadent pleasures and sinful excesses of the city—we needed to uncover a cunning conspiracy, armed only with our wits. And our expertise in chocolate.

How about you? Has chocolate ever gotten you into unexpected trouble?

You can learn more about Lady Arianna in THE COCOA CONSPIRACY, available in stores everywhere. And to read an excerpt and learn more about the history of Regency England, please visit Andrea’s website: www.andreapenrose.com

Christmas in Duck By Mayor Dae O'Donnell (And Joyce and Jim Lavene)

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

It was a star made of shells that caught my attention. It was on top of a box filled with Christmas ornaments - plastic candy canes and sparkling garland. It was made from a star-shaped piece of wood and covered in tiny shells flung from the sea.

"What are you doing here?"

The box had come to me from a church rummage sale. Sometimes churches and other organizations donated their items to my shop, Missing Pieces. Like all things in life, sometimes there were gems and other times there was trash. I took my chances.

When I held the star, I knew someone was looking for it. Loving hands had gently laid it here in storage for the next Christmas season. She never dreamed it wouldn't be her hands that opened the box this year.

"I think we should take you home. Someone is missing you. I can't keep you here. It wouldn't be right."

I put on my hat and jacket, wound a scarf around my neck. It was the day before Christmas and colder than usual in Duck, North Carolina. There was ice along the Currituck Sound and the wind blew sharp across it.

Most shops and restaurants were closed at this time of year. The tourists were home waiting for next summer. It felt a little lonely despite the festive signs and decorations. Or maybe I was being affected by the sad little star I held.

I walked across Duck Road toward the Atlantic side of the island, feeling the tug of the star I held as if it sensed it was nearing someplace familiar.

I looked up at the flat brown house that I knew had weathered many storms. I'd been passing it most of my life, on the way to school when I was younger. Later, on my way to other adventures.

There was no doorbell so I knocked and waited. A young woman, probably in her twenties answered. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"I think I can help you." I pulled the star out and showed it to her.

"Oh my God!" She started crying. "I thought it was gone forever. Please come in. I'm sorry to keep you standing outside in the cold."

She went on to tell me that her name was Lily Washington. She'd been born and raised in Duck. She'd left for a few years and when she came back, her mother was gravely ill.

"She died last spring. I didn't realize, but her house was mortgaged to pay for her medical bills. The bank sold it so quickly, there was no time to get anything out of it. Everything I remembered from my childhood was gone too."

I handed her the star. "I know your mother wanted you to have this."

"But how did you know?" She started crying as she looked at it. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me."

I stayed for tea and gingerbread but it was getting dark and I needed to go home before Gramps and Kevin started wondering where I was.

Outside, there was a single ray of sunshine dancing across the sound and I heard the churchbells ringing. Merry Christmas!

Read more about Dae in her latest release, A SPIRITED GIFT, a new National Bestseller from Berkley Prime Crime by Joyce and Jim Lavene. Available at bookstores everywhere this Christmas!
www.joyceandjimlavene.com

Christmas on the Oregon Coast

2011-12-12T01:03:00.004-05:00

by Marcy Singer, from Thread Reckoning by Amanda Lee

Hi, there! I hope all of you are doing well. Here in Tallulah Falls, we're busily preparing for Christmas. I feel like an elf with all the last-minute embroidery projects I've been doing at the Seven-Year Stitch. And I'm not the only one--the sit-and-stitch square is full at almost any given time of the day lately.

Sheriff Manu Singh, his wife Reggie, Ted Nash, and the rest of the Tallulah Falls Police Department have been doing a wonderful job of gathering toys for all the needy children in the area. Angus and I have a basket by the front door of the shop to collect blankets, towels, toys, and pet food to help out the animal shelter. And, in what little spare time they have, Blake and Sadie of MacKenzies' Mochas have been taking treats to nursing homes in the region. I love this season of giving and the outpouring of caring our community shares.

By the way, Todd from the Brew Crew wanted me to share this cocktail with you:

Candy Cane Cocktail*

Ingredients

1 shot vanilla rum
1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
1 shot peppermint schnapps
Candy cane, garnish

Directions

Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.

*Sandra Lee's recipe

Merry Christmas, everybody! Please stop in at the Seven-Year Stitch and say hello. :)

Christmas Comes to the White House

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Casey Calhoun. White House Assistant Gardener
From: Dorothy St. James's White House Gardener Mysteries
(The Scarlet Pepper, coming in April 2012)

Tis the season when I start humming silly tunes without even realizing it. And craving frosted cookies. Please, tell me I'm not the only one!

This year, my first year at the White House, I've gone holiday crazy! There's even a bright red bow in my hair. But really...how can I not get into the spirit of things when I'm surrounded by a wonderland of holiday decorations?

The day after Thanksgiving, Christmas started to take shape around here. With the assistance of 136 volunteers from 36 states, in just five days the president's residence was transformed into a holiday show-stopper!

Outside, the national tree stands tall and proud surrounded by smaller Christmas trees representing all 50 states and the territories and protectorates.

To the delight of small children, trains race around the tree and through a miniature winter village. And Santa is available to hear secret wishes.

Inside the White House, you'll find 37 decorated trees! Some have the traditional paper ornaments. Some trees are even made from paper! And there are even a couple of trees made from recycled aluminum!

There's one tree that makes me pause every time I pass by it. The Gold Star Families Tree pays tribute to those men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. On it hangs photos of fallen heroes and messages from their loved ones.

The likeness of the family dog, Bo, makes an appearance in every room. He's made from paper, buttons, and even trash bags.

You can even find him waiting to greet visitors at the entrance of the 400-pound gingerbread house.

You never know who you might find at a White House holiday open house....occasionally even a mystery novelist will show up!

Are you interested in volunteering to help decorate the White House next year? Fill out an application in March at the White House's website. I'll keep an eye out for you!

I hope your holiday season is bright and shiny and filled with mystery!

*P*E*A*C*E*

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

Dorothy St. James writes the White House Gardener Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Flowerbed of State is the first book in the series. Be sure to grab your copy while they're still available! Visit with Dorothy on the web or at Facebook. Or follow her on Twitter.

Praise for FLOWERBED OF STATE:
"Credible characters, a fast-paced plot, and a light look at political life in Washington, D.C., will delight cozy fans." ~ Publishers Weekly

Order Flowerbed of State from your favorite bookseller.

Look for The Scarlet Pepper in April 2012. Pre-order your copy today!

Homicide for the Holidays

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Charlie Harris from the Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James talks about the holidays

There's finally a chill in the air here in Athena, Mississippi, and it's a welcome change. I sure hope it stays cool for the holidays, because having to run the air conditioner on Christmas Day is not pleasant. After all, this isn't Australia, where it's midsummer during the holidays!

The nip in the air has encouraged me to start making my holiday plans -- finally. I hate to admit it, but I'm a procrastinator about some things. Ever since my wife died, Christmas hasn't been quite the same. The holidays bring back so many memories of family members no longer with me in body, though I know they are hovering somewhere nearby in spirit. I have plenty to be thankful for, however. My son Sean and my daughter Laura will both be here. Sean certainly will, since he quit his job and moved to Mississippi to live with me! Laura will be flying in from Hollywood, and of course my constant companion, Diesel, will be right in the middle of everything.

My first Christmas with Diesel was definitely an experience to be remembered. He was only a few months old when the holidays came around, but like many Maine Coon kittens he looked more like a yearling, frankly. The tree became a source of endless fascination for him. He loved batting at the shiny ornaments, and he also got a kick out of hiding under the tree occasionally. There was of course no tinsel on the tree -- don't forget that it's dangerous to have if you have cats or dogs (or toddlers!) in the house.

I kept expecting to find the tree in shambles on the floor, but despite his absorbing interest in it, Diesel didn't pull it over. He's one smart kitty, thank goodness, and I did give him a little talking to the first time I saw him batting at ornaments. He gazed at me so solemnly as I talked, and I'd almost swear he nodded when I was finished. All I know is, after that, though he still liked to play around the tree, he didn't knock any ornaments off or try to chew on anything.

With that worry settled after the first year, I never gave it another thought -- instead I concentrated on the usual things. Presents, food, holiday cards, and the like. I also pulled out a few favorite books to reread. There's something special about rereading a favorite book during the holidays, like spending time with a beloved friend. As a voracious reader of mysteries, I don't think it strange to read murder stories during Christmas either. My all-time favorite Christmas mystery is Charlotte MacLeod's hilarious Rest You Merry, a true classic of comic crime.

My wish for everyone is to have a safe and happy holiday season, spent with those who mean the most to you. Read a good book, watch some old movies, and enjoy being with your loved ones. I think Diesel and I are going to go watch "Christmas in Connecticut" right now.

The New Girl in Town

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Devereaux Sinclair from Denise Swanson's Devereaux's Dime Store Mysteries (coming in March)

Hi! My name is Devereaux Sinclair and I live in Shadow Bend, Missouri. It’s a small town about an hour away from Kansas City where I used to work in the investment business. But then my grandmother, Birdie Sinclair, starting having some memory problems and her doctors told me I needed to be around more. And since Gran had dropped everything to take care of me when my parents deserted me, I felt that I had no choice but to return the favor.

So I quit my job at Stramp Investments and bought the old dime store in town. I have to admit that I don’t miss the commute or the stress, but going from a six-figure salary to a barely- making-it income is a bit of an adjustment. I used all my savings and sold off nearly everything I owned (okay, not my sapphire black BMW Z4) to buy, renovate, and stock Devereaux’s Dime Store and Gift Baskets.

Unfortunately, as I was getting my new business off the ground, my old boss was arrested. Turns out, his entire investment company was a huge Ponzi scheme. Everyone thought I had been in on the fraud, which I wasn’t. But I can understand their suspicions. How in the world had I not known that Mr. Stramp was cheating our clients?

Then, just as that scandal was dying down, the contents of a gift basket I had made for my ex-boyfriend’s fiancée (one of the erotic baskets) was used to murder her. Now not only am I the subject of gossip again, but the detective on the case has me pegged as the killer. And since he was one of the many municipal employees that Mr. Stramp defrauded out of their pension funds, the detective is determined to pin the homicide on me.

Still, one good thing did come out of all this. A hot U.S. Marshal on medical leave from the service has volunteered to help me investigate. And whoadoggie do we have chemistry. I haven’t felt this way about a guy since I was sixteen. Of course, that does make it a tad difficult to concentrate on the fact that if we don’t find out the real killer’s identity, I’m going to end up in the prison cell next to my father.

--Little Shop of Homicide, the first in the Devereaux’s Dime Store mysteries by New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson debuts March 6, 2012.

Holiday Sweets

2011-12-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

By Kelly Flynn, from Maggie Sefton's New York Times Bestselling Knitting Mystery Series, UNRAVELED, 9th in the series

Since you guys liked my sharing Aunt Helen's Gingersnap Cookie recipe with you last month, I've decided to share another recipe. In the spirit of the holidays, that is. It's not actually one of "our" recipes----like Mimi's or Megan's or Pete's. This one is "Her" recipe. "Her" being the writer who hangs around here, watching my friends and me, then writing down everything she sees. Honestly! You'd think she'd find better things to do. She even says that people actually buy all those scribblings of hers. Uh, huh. We all just smile and nod when she talks like that. Humoring her, you know.

Anyway---she actually scored some points with us when she shared this fudge recipe. Try it

yourself and share it with your friends. You won't be sorry. Enjoy!

MAGGIE’S CHOCOLATE MINT FUDGE

One medium-to-large jar of marshmallow crème
1 can evaporated milk
1 stick of butter (use regular salted butter and NOT a butter substitute)
3 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 12-oz packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips/morsels
1 Tablespoon of peppermint flavoring

Makes 2 8x8” pans of fudge (also needed---aluminum foil to line pans)

A large thick-bottomed pot is recommended in order to keep the fudge from overcooking.

Before starting: Line 2 8x8” pans with foil. Grease lightly with butter, not oil or margarine.

Place marshmallow crème in pot over medium heat, then stir in evaporated milk, stirring slowly. Cut stick of butter into 8 pieces and drop into simmering mixture. Stir in salt. Adjust heat to medium-high and add sugar, one-half cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Continue stirring as sugar mixture starts to bubble. Cook for five minutes, no more, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. I cannot emphasize this enough.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in the packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips/morsels, one package at a time, stirring vigorously. Add peppermint flavoring, stirring well until blended. Pour fudge into the two pans. Let cool on counter for several minutes, then place pans in fridge to set up and cool completely.

High School Daze

2011-12-07T00:05:00.000-05:00

By Mark Dreyfus, Police Chief. From the upcoming A Killer Read by Erika Chase

Sometimes I wonder what made me take on the job of police chief in my hometown of Ashton Corners, AL. Law enforcement seemed a natural after my stint in the army. But having to deal with lawbreakers who you knew in high school? Not the easiest job in town.

And then there’s the matter of the former chief, Bob Miller. A thorn in my side, as the saying goes. Seems he can’t put aside the odd run-in we had in the past. You know, just a bunch of swelled-headed high school football players trying to prove how great we were. Like the time we painted the team logo on top of the gazebo in the town square. Once we ‘borrowed’ the stuffed alligator mascot from our rivals at Rawlings High. And after watching American Graffiti one night we…well, the less said about that the better. But Bob Miller doesn’t try to see who I am today.

Lizzie Turner, on the other hand, seems to like what she sees. I almost lost my police chief cool when I walked into the Ashton Corners book club meeting and there she sat…a prime suspect.

I remembered her from high school days…long hair tied back in a ponytail, dynamite curves packaged in not-so-sexy long tops and pants, always a book in her hand but always there at a game. We never talked. I thought she’d think I was too dumb. Seems she thought I couldn’t see past all those leggy cheerleaders. Maybe she was right.

But that’s another way I’ve changed. Lizzie sure gets my attention these days. I just hope I don’t blow it by reverting back to that idiot cool dude. I also hope I don’t have to arrest any of her book club friends in this murder I’m investigating. Nothing cools a romance faster than handcuffs, no matter what they say.

Have you ever wished you could go back and do some things over again?

Look for A Killer Read on the shelves, April, 2012. Now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Waiting for Hayley in January by Lucy Burdette

2011-12-06T01:10:00.001-05:00

By Hayley Snow from the Key West food critic mysteries

Hi everyone! I can see that my writer wasn't going to get around to putting up a post, so I thought I'd better take things into my own hands. She just turned in the manuscript for my second Key West adventure, DEATH IN FOUR COURSES, and she says she's wiped out. How hard could it be to write down what I tell her? Besides, I've seen plenty of other writers around here who juggle two and three mystery series at a time! Although truth be told, I prefer being an only character...

Anyway, my big launch date is January 3 too, Pepper! I can't wait to show you around my new town. Lots of people who come to the island on vacation think the highlight is going to bars on Duval Street. All I can say about that is a little goes a long way. Though a lot of great bands do come through town--who doesn't want to play Paradise in the dead of winter? The art scene in Key West is amazing, too--my roommate Connie's boyfriend Ray is one of the artists in residence at The Studios of Key West, so definitely check that out. And of course the food...fried grouper, and conch chowder, and Key West pink shrimp. Just be a little careful with the key lime pie...this is a murder mystery after all.

And the weather is simply heaven. My mother calls a couple of times a week to complain about New Jersey in November and December. I don't want to say too much about how great it feels down here to be wearing sandals and a sweater when she's moved into boots and a down jacket--she might get the idea of joining me! LOL! And there are all kinds of people in Key West--from filthy rich to homeless, which makes it so interesting. But be a little careful here too about making assumptions about which are the good guys and which are the bad.

I'm so looking forward to seeing you all next month! You can follow my writer Lucy on Twitter (she tries not to talk only about me!) or facebook or on our website. She's posted a sample of the new book there, and all kinds of recipes too, including our favorite Christmas cookies!

December? Already?

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Pepper Martin, detective to the dead, and main character in the Pepper Martin mystery series
　
Hard to believe it’s December. By this time next month, the 8th installment of my adventures, the Pepper Martin mysteries, will be on store shelves and I’ll finally be able to tell the story of "Wild, Wild Death," and share everything that happened to me in New Mexico a little while back.

What’s cemetery tour guide from Cleveland doing in New Mexico?

Sighing here as I say that it’s a long, long story. It started back when I was laid off from my job at Garden View Cemetery. I’ll admit it, I was bored, and low on cash. Just to make matters worse, Quinn Harrison, the firecracker hot hunk who is my sometimes-boyfriend, absolutely refused to even talk about my ability to communicate with the dead.

Then the ransom note showed up.

Dan Callaghan, my cute, scruffy scientist friend, had been kidnaped, and those responsible said the only thing that could bring him back alive is if I dug up the bones of a famous Indian and took them to New Mexico.

Sounds simple, yes? Well, except for the digging up the bones part, but since thinking about that still makes me shiver, we won’t go there. I will say that things didn’t stay simple once I got to the great Southwest. See, that’s when the bones got stolen, bodies started dropping, and I had one devious murderer to deal with–one whose idea of boot hill had nothing to do with Jimmy Choo.

Join me for the adventure in "Wild, Wild Death." It will be on store shelves January 3. And oh, those too-cute boots on the cover? I bought them in a little town just north of the New Mexico border. Eat your heart out, Jimmy Choo.

Do you remember when?

2011-12-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Charlotte Bessette
From LOST AND FONDUE, by Avery Aames

I loveDecember. The rain, the snow, the crisp mornings and chilly nights. I love thedecorations that spring up around Providence. We hang snowflakes across the roads,and shop owners decorate their display windows.

AtFromagerie Bessette—what many in town call The Cheese Shop—we were lucky enoughto win the devotion of a local toymaker who elected to build something specialfor our window. He only chooses to create one display window each year. Okay,yes, I might have cheated. I enticed him with a home-delivered basket of hisfavorite cheeses: Délice de Bourgogne, Fromager d’ Affinois, and a triple crèmeBrie. He is a softie and likes creamy, scrumptious cheeses. It was Rebecca’sidea. You know Rebecca, my assistant, right? Full of spunk and good humor andsly as the devil, sometimes. She said we needed something eye-catching to lurein tourists. Cooler temperatures in December can keep some away from town. Whatwas the end result, you ask? A mini Ferris Wheel, with a cheese nestling intoeach bucket seat. He surrounded it with miniature people, all pointing upwards.You should see all the real people, locals and tourists alike, standing outsidepeering in. The joy on the children’s faces makes my heart sing.

If you can’tmake it to Providene right now, I want to remind you that, come February, thewhole town will be bustling. That’s when Providence puts on its Winter Wonderlandfaire, a magical event set in the Village Green, with white tents outlined intwinkling lights, an ice sculpting contest, a chorale, and so much deliciousfood it makes my mouth water to think about it: hot cocoa, brandy-laced crepes,and more. At Le Petit FromagerieBessette, our little Cheese Shop tent, we’ll be offering all sorts of yummycheeses, wines, and accoutrements.

I can’twait. Sometimes the faire feels like a reunion. People who used to live inProvidence return to get a taste of their past and drink in the fun they havemissed.

I wonder ifanyone I know will return this year? Let me rephrase that…anyone I know ANDlike. LOL.

Have youever gone to a reunion? Was it everything you hoped it would be?

**********

You canlearn more about Charlotte
in Lostand Fondue,

available in stores everywhere.

Chat withAvery on Facebook and Twitter.

And watchfor CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT, comingout February 2012.

* * * * * * * *

BOOKSELLERS LINK

When I Grow Up ...

2011-12-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

by Alice Anders
from Wendy Lyn Watson's Mysteries a la Mode

My adviser at Dickerson U has been pushing me to declare a major. I'm only a sophomore, but all of the different majors have different requirements for graduation, so you have to choose sort of early. The problem is that to pick a major, I feel like I need to know what I want to be when I grow up ... and I just don't know.

My mama always said I was so contrary I should be a lawyer. I know she was just needling me, but lately I've been thinking that maybe being a lawyer wouldn't be so bad. At the rate Mama and Aunt Tally are going, I could probably make a living just keeping them out of trouble. And, besides, I've gotten the opportunity to watch the judicial process in action (what with all the murders and such going on in Dalliance), and I think it's kind of interesting.

So after my favorite English professor died (and, with her, my opportunity to work as her research assistant), I decided to add a new extracurricular activity to my schedule: moot court!

Every year, there's a new case that involves at least two constitutional issues. Competitors learn all about the law in those areas and prepare legal arguments about how the case should come out. In competitions, you present your arguments to a panel of judges (who are sometimes real judges, but sometimes they're lawyers, law students, and the like). They bombard you with questions the whole time, making sure you know all about the law and can think on your feet. You have to be prepared to argue both sides of your issue, so you have to be flexible. It's actually a lot of fun.

The only problem is that, well, I sometimes get a little prickly when a judge asks me a question in a snarky tone. I don't take kindly to being talked down to. I'm working on keeping my game face, even when the judge is a jerk.

It's been hard balancing school with my job at Remember the A-la-mode, practice, friends, and travel for competitions. To make things more complicated, my partner (who argues cases with me) is a boy. Kinda cute. Kyle's jealous. I keep telling him that David is just a friend, but you know how boys are.

Still, despite the extra time and the drama, I think it's worth it. That's what I'm doing right now: competing at Baylor Law School. Mama's so proud she could spit. She takes pictures of me in my suit all the time, and she's basically telling people I'm already a Supreme Court Justice or something.

But as much as I'm enjoying moot court, I'm not sure I'm cut out for life as a lawyer. I don't know if I want to wear suits every day or have to be nice to snarky judges. Maybe I would be a good teacher (except that I'm not very patient). Or a doctor (except I don't really like to be around sick people). Or a psychologist (except I deal with enough crazy just sitting around the dinner table). How am I ever going to choose?

~~~~~

How did you decide what you wanted to be when you grew up? Or are you still deciding?

Read all about Alice's adventures in I Scream, You Scream, Scoop to Kill, and A Parfait Murder. And be sure to visit Wendy on her website and on Facebook. Also, look for Wendy's new alter ego, Annie Knox.

Making A List and Checking It Twice

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Carmen Tuchelli, India Hayes's older sister, from Amanda Flower’s Murder in a Basket

I don’t think it’s any surprise to anyone that I will be hosting Christmas at my house this year. Christmas is a working holiday for mother since she is a pastor, my brother Mark is off wandering the country—he’d better be back for Christmas—and my sister India, well, no one wants burnt tofurky on their plate.

So even though I have a husband and three children, including newborn twin girls, I will host Christmas. It’s only December 2^nd, but there so much to do. The only option is to get out my trusty clipboard and make a list.

1) Decorate the house. This year the theme is Winter Wonderland. Everything must be blue and white.

2) Buy more blue twinkle lights to fit the theme. Better get a few boxes of white for good measure.

3) Write church Christmas pageant script.

4) Plan a vegetarian menu (There has to be something better than tofurky!)

5) Test vegetarian options out on my husband who is NOT a vegetarian and would much rather have a steak.

6) Brave Toys R Us for children’s presents. Do not let five-year-old son, Nicholas, see the Big Toy Book!

7) Find out if India plans to bring Detective Rick Mains to Christmas dinner.

8) Find out what’s going on with India and Detective Rick Mains, who is MY ex-boyfriend.

9) Wrap gifts.

10) Make costumes, cast, and direct church Christmas pageant.

11) Ask India if her landlady, Ina, will be joining us for Christmas dinner. If the answer is “yes,” hide breakables.

12) Buy matching Christmas sweaters for the family.

13) Make husband wear Christmas sweater.

14) Practice lines with Nicholas for church pageant.

15) Help Nicholas make gifts. No GLUE or GLITTER.

16) Take twins and Nicholas to meet Santa Claus.

17) Find out where Mark is and make him come home.

18) Bake cookies, 14 different kinds.

19) Bake a pie, no make that three pies, (Mom and Dad are bound to bring some of their hippy strays to the meal.)

20) Convince India to stay away from dead bodies.

Something tells me the last item on the list will be the most difficult.

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

Wanna win and Advance Readers Copy of MURDER IN A BASKET? Amanda is giving away four copies during the month of December. Click over to her blog for details and to enter! http://amandaflower.wordpress.com/

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

Killer Characters New Releases

2011-12-01T01:11:00.003-05:00

You Might As Well Die by J.J. Murphy

When second-rate illustrator Ernie MacGuffin's artistic works triple in value following his apparent suicide off the Brooklyn Bridge, Dorothy Parker smells something fishy. Enlisting the help of magician and skeptic Harry Houdini, she goes to a séance held by MacGuffin's mistress, where Ernie's ghostly voice seems hauntingly real...

Mystery Lovers Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

BN.com

A Spirited Gift by Jim and Joyce Lavene

As the mayor of Duck, North Carolina, Dae is playing host to twenty North Carolina elected officials attending her first Mayors' Conference Weekend at the Blue Whale Inn. When the body of Mayor Sandi Foxx is discovered the morning after a severe storm, Dae receives a vision through the mayor's ring; that there's a killer among the guests who's as deadly as any hurricane.

Mystery Lovers Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10!)

BN.com

Swift Edge by Laura Disilverio (aka Lila Dare)

When world-class figure skater Dmitri Fane goes missing, his partner knows just whom to hire. It’s up to Swift Investigations to find the missing Fane, and fast—-the Olympics are just weeks away. It should be no trouble for the investigative team of Charlie Swift and Gigi Goldman: Their chief obstacle is Gigi’s teenage daughter, Kendall, and her mad crush on Fane. That is, until the skating team’s coach is brutally attacked and a colleague of Dmitri is killed, and things start to get complicated.

Gigi’s corralling a lovesick Kendall and dying to test out the hilarious techniques from her surveillance class. Charlie’s dodging bullets and fending off Detective Connor Montgomery’s advances. Their client is suddenly MIA. Can Charlie and Gigi solve two missing-persons cases and a murder at once, or will the culprit get off skate-free?

Fast-paced adventure, high-stakes intrigue, and the madcap capers of these unlikely partners-in-crime solving make Swift Edge a delightful and welcome addition to the series.

Buy at:

Mystery Lovers Bookshop (free shipping on orders over $10)

BN.com

Trouble Under the Tree by Heather Webber

When landscape designer Nina Quinn agrees to deck the halls of Christmastowne, an indoor Christmas village, little did she know how dirty the job would be.

Christmastowne has been plagued by mishaps. Someone’s stealing toy donations, cutting lines to the security system, starting fires, and poisoning the poinsettias. Worst of all, Nina’s neighbor, Fairlee McCorkle (aka Mrs. Claus) is found murdered under Christmastowne’s enormous decorated tree.

The deeper Nina digs for clues to unwrap a killer, the more she discovers that some secrets are best left buried in the past.

(The 6th book in the Nina Quinn mystery series. E-book only.)

Smashwords

BN.com

Amazon

A Done Deal by Jenna Bennett

Silver bells, silver bells...

It's Christmas time in Nashville, and all Savannah wants to unwrap on Christmas morning is Rafe. Unfortunately, things don't look so good. He's back in town, but not alone: on his arm is a stunning brunette, just the kind of woman Savannah always suspected was his type.

When Alexandra Puckett asks her help in figuring out a way to stop Maybelle Driscoll from marrying Alex's father Steven, Savannah jumps on the chance. It'll give her something to think about other than Rafe and the mysterious Carmen, and anyway, she doesn't like Maybelle much herself.

Between investigating Maybelle's past, helping her clients Aislynn and Kylie buy a house, and stalking Carmen and Rafe, she soon has her hands full. And that's before someone starts gunning for her. Suddenly it's not a question of unwrapping anything on Christmas morning anymore; it's a question of whether she'll even survive to see another Christmas.

Coming December 15th!

Say It With Ink

2011-11-30T00:11:00.002-05:00

By Ana Bertoli, Nina's cousin and BFF, from Heather Webber’s Trouble Under the Tree (A Nina Quinn Mystery)

Most of you already know I’m no good at relationships. The shorter, the better I always say.

Well, it’s what I used to say at least. But now, there’s Kit.

Six-foot-five, two hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle, tattoos galore (including a skull on his bald head and black lining his eyes), and one of the biggest hearts I’ve known.

He has baggage, sure. Especially since his last girlfriend was murdered (can’t give away too much here). And there’s the sticky fact that I used to be his probation officer... But all that’s in the past.

We’ve been together for a few weeks now, and I can’t believe I’m about to admit this but...I think he might be the one. Maybe. Possibly.

Anyway, with Christmas coming up, I wanted to show him I was in our relationship for the long haul (which for me consists of more than three weeks). I wanted to get a tattoo. A heart with our initials in it. Only, every time I go to the tattoo artist, I pass out as soon as the needle touches my skin.

My cousin Nina says it looks like a constellation on my lower back. And maybe I should leave at that, but I really want that heart.

What’s a girl to do?

A different (maybe) sort of holiday party

2011-11-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

by Opal Scott from the Threadville Mystery Series by Janet Bolin

Being invited to a holiday party isn’t bad, of course, especially when I know that the hostess, Mona, is once again on the lookout for a husband. She’ll invite every eligible man she can scrape up, and when it comes to eligible men, that woman can really scrape.

And the type of party could be great, too, if Mona hadn’t written on the bottom of my invitation, “Opal, you should be great at making your sweater—you won’t have to haunt used clothing shops!” I’m too lazy to copy all the exclamation points she added. You get the drift.

You probably also got the drift of the party’s theme. If you didn’t, here’s a hint: I own the Tell a Yarn shop and I knit or crochet most of my own clothing.

You guessed right. Mona’s throwing an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.

I will not be insulted. I will look on the bright side. Crafting something hideous for Mona’s Ugly Sweater Christmas Party should be fun. I’ve got this shaggy craft yarn in both vivid red and blinding white. How about candy cane stripes, to start? And then a green Christmas tree on the front, and I’ll add sequins, spangles,and beads as ornaments. Edna carries quite a selection in Buttons and Bows. Oversized metallic fuchsia and royal blue spangles, perhaps, with some opalescent white ones also. Garlands. A tinsel star as a tree topper. Tiny Christmas lights and a battery pack tucked into a pocket I’ll add to the back of the sweater . . .

If there’s a prize for ugly, I expect to win it. However, I will have plenty of competition. My best friends, Edna and Naomi, will want to play along and reach new heights in tackiness, and so will our daughter Haylee and her friend Willow, who is now like a daughter to the other three of us. In Threadville, we can’t help enjoying the challenge of designing and creating.

What will Mona wear, I wonder? It won’t be ugly. It will be skin tight and low-necked.

And there the rest of us will be, among all those eligible men, in grotesque sweaters we obediently created for ourselves.

Hmmm. Candy cane stripes, a decorated and lit-up Christmas tree, and revealing? Now there’s a challenge . . .

What would you do? Have you ever attended an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party? What did you wear, and what were the ugliest sweaters like?

You can learn more about Opal and how she and her friends helped Willow catch a murderer in DIRE THREADS, available in stores everywhere.

Talk to Janet Bolin on facebook and twitter.

And watch for THREADED FOR TROUBLE, arriving in stores June 5, 2012, and available for pre-order now!

Liver Let Die

2011-11-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

By Jordan McAllister

From Liver Let Die by Liz Lipperman

Hey, y’all, I’mthrilled to be here with the wonderful ladies at Killer Characters. I’msupposed to talk about myself—maybe tell you something interesting or someplaceexotic that I’ve been. I’ve got nothing other than living in a rundownapartment building with some of the wackiest people I know and love likefamily. Things have been somewhat boring.

Did you ever look back on your life and want to just slapyourself? Yeah, that pretty much describeshow I felt explaining to my editor at the RancheroGlobe why I ended up in a small town fifty miles north of Dallas writingpersonals when I’d graduated at the top of my class with a journalism degree.

Three words—a cheating fiancé. I didn't need the editor toremind me how stupid I'd been to put my own dreams of becoming a big-timesports reporter on hold while I followed the jerk all over Texas and watchedhis dream become reality.

So, that’s how I ended up in Ranchero, Texas, writingpersonals and helping desperate women hook up after reading some redneck’s liesabout himself. Loves to dance? Right. Probably doesn't have a job and stilllives with his mother—thinking Norman Bates here. Needless to say, my expectationsof ever being in another relationship were in the toilet.

I was beginning to think I would have to crawl back to Amarilloand listen to my parents and four brothers tell me they told me so—until myeditor called me into his office. Seems the culinary reporter had been in a skiaccident and would be out for six weeks rehabbing both a broken hip and arm.Needless to say, I jumped on it, despite the fact I couldn't cook myself out ofmacaroni and cheese box.

Did I mention my four older brothers? They’d needed me toeven up the sides every day after school when they played flag football with mydad in the front yard. Granted, Ican throw a razor-sharp touchdown pass from fifty yards out, but I have yet tocook a grilled cheese sandwich without burning it. Consequently, my dietconsists of fried bologna sandwiches, fast food, and Hostess Ho Hos, which Iequate to Prozac.

How hard would it be to write about food as long as I didn'thave to actually cook it? Nosooner had I signed on the dotted line—why, I'll never know since the maninformed me there would be no increase in my already measly salary, and I stillhad to write the personals—that I began having serious second thoughts.

Then the editor informs me my job also includes anoccasional restaurant critique, and in fact, my first one would be that nightat a newly reopened steakhouse on the outskirts of town. Now might be a goodtime to tell you I hate steak and all fancy food. Since I had the sinkingfeeling I wouldn't see nachos and mozzarella sticks on the menu, I prayed atleast there would be chicken.

Wearing hand-made jewelry and carrying a borrowed purse frommy hippie neighbor who sold the stuff on eBay, I knew immediately afterscanning the menu that I was in trouble.

"What on here isn’t red meat?" I asked the hunkywaiter, explaining I was watching my cholesterol.

"Foie gras," he said. "I've never tasted itmyself, but that guy over there orders every week. At this price, it has to begood."

I figured since I wasn't getting a boost in my salary, thenewspaper could cough up the extra bucks for my meal. But as soon as the waiterset the plate in front of me, I knew I had made a big mistake. There was no wayI could eat the foie gras, especially after hearing it was really fatty duckliver. When I thought no one was looking, I shoved the entrée into my borrowedpurse, thinking I had just pulled off the con of the century.

Or did I?

Later, when the cops knocked on my door and informed me thatsaid hunky waiter was outside my door with a knife in his back and my name andnumber in his shirt pocket, I had some explaining to do. What was he doing thereat midnight and was I next on the murder menu?

* * *

So c'mon, did you ever look back on your life and want to just slap yourself?

* * *

Jordan appears in LIVER LET DIE, the first of the CluelessCook Mystery Series from Liz Lipperman and Berkley Prime Crime. BEEF STOLEN-OFFwill follow in July of 2012. Liz can be found at www.lizlipperman.com or at her blog http://mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com

The run up to Christmas

2011-11-27T00:01:00.014-05:00

By Sgt. Bethan Morgan from the Penny Brannigan series by Elizabeth J. Duncan.

Well, this makes a change. The only writing I do is reports and lots of them. Any police officer will tell you the paperwork is endless and it's the least appealing part of the job. When I signed up, I pictured myself out on the street, helping people and solving crimes.

You'd think there wouldn't be much crime in the small Welsh towns, villages and rural areas we serve. But you'd be wrong. And you'd be surprised by the kind of crime. You're probably thinking police officers in these parts spend their time walking up and down the high street, pointing American tourists in the direction of the Castle, helping old ladies find their lost cats and nabbing perverts who steal knickers off washing lines.

But big city crime is everywhere now. A big concern for us here is identity theft, immigration violations, drugs and everything else that blights contemporary life. Sometimes I hear older officers moaning about the good old days, before that huge influx of migrants, when at least police officers knew what kinds of criminals they were up against: good old home grown, British villains like the Kray Brothers and the Great Train Robbers.

But we're a multicultural society now and there's more than enough international style crime to go around.

The run up to Christmas is underway and if it's not too much to ask, I hope all criminals great and small will let up a bit so we can all enjoy the season. I won't get enough leave to go home and see my parents, but Penny Brannigan and Victoria Hopkirk have invited the DCI and me over for Christmas dinner. Penny's pretty useless in the kitchen so Gwennie will be coming in to do the meal -- we're in for a proper Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.

Or at least, I hope we are. So far we're dealing with a missing diamond brooch and a dead con man who went over the wall of Conwy Castle.

Find out how Llanelen spends Christmas in A Killer's Christmas in Wales, the third in the Penny Brannigan series by Elizabeth J. Duncan.

The Very Best Time of Year!

2011-11-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

by Emma Taylor from the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie Series
by Meg London
Coming September 2012 from Berkeley Prime Crime

I’m still stuffed from the enormous Thanksgiving meal Aunt Arabella prepared for us—turkey, pies and all the trimmings. But I have to confess that my favorite season is just starting—the very thought of Christmas gives me goose bumps! I’ll never forget my first Christmas in New York City. It was awesome—fabulous decorations everywhere. I walked miles and miles enjoying the windows and the lights. I didn’t care how cold it was!

The tree at Rockefeller Center (or, Rock Center as the New Yorkers call it!) was amazing. Larger than anything you’ve ever seen and strung with ornaments and thousands of lights. And just down the street, the famous jeweler, Cartier, is all wrapped up in gigantic red ribbons and bows. Then, there are the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor.

But this year, I’m excited about Christmas back home in Paris, Tennessee. I can sit on the window seat in my little apartment over Sweet Nothings and look up and down the street admiring the lights, wreaths and decorations the shop keepers so lovingly put up for all of us to enjoy.

And my parents will be coming up from Florida, and we’ll all be together at Aunt Arabella’s for another one of her amazing feasts.

And best of all? Brian is already hinting that he has a present for me. I wonder what it is?

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T03:00:00.001-05:00

by Meg Corey

Meg Corey owns and manages Warren's Grove Orchard in Granford, Massachusetts, and has just celebrated her first Thanksgiving there.

When I agreed—reluctantly, I'll admit—to take on running an orchard with absolutely no experience, I had no idea what I was getting into. I really thought I'd be staying only long enough to fix up the house and sell it, but that didn't work out.

Now I'm glad. I have come to love the town of Granford (although there were some rocky times in the beginning, like when I disrupted a town meeting and got "escorted" out by the police). I've made some good friends. And I've learned a lot, about farming and about myself.

I never realized how closely connected I would be to the annual cycle of growth and harvest, but now, after a successful apple crop, I understand it. For any farmer, each year is a gamble. Will there be enough rain? Too much? Will there be enough bees to pollinate the blossoms? Will that old but rare apple variety in the far corner bear for one more year, or should I take some grafts before it's too late? Am I confident enough to expand the orchard now, or should I wait until I've got a better idea of what I'm doing? Growing things may be natural, but doing it well takes experience and time—and luck.

I feel extraordinarily lucky. I fell into something without planning, and I've come out of it with a new sense of purpose, and a new relationship, and a whole new outlook on my life. I can only imagine how those poor Pilgrims felt at Plymouth. They must have been terrified, because there was so much they didn't know and couldn't plan for. But on the plus side, those who made it through that difficult first year must have felt truly grateful for their survival. Now I understand why they—and we—celebrate the harvest each year.

Wonder if it's going to be a snowy winter? Maybe I should check the Farmers Almanac…

(To find out about that snow, you'll have to read Bitter Harvest, the fifth book in Sheila Connolly's Orchard Mysteries)