New Releases 2018 (Dec 31)

New Releases

A desperate underground war with the survival of millions at stake looms in the electrifying conclusion of the New York Times bestselling Bishop Files Trilogy.

Tasha Solomon's world turned upside-down when the psychic abilities she had tried so hard to live with in secret suddenly made her a target stalked by unseen enemies.

John Brodie is by nature, by training, and by instinct a Guardian. He is a member of an intricate and secretive network of individuals who have devoted their lives to the deadly struggle of saving psychics in danger of being taken or being killed. It is a war very few other people even know exists, and yet its tentacles stretch deeply and dangerously into every aspect of society.

Tasha has abilities not even she is aware of, abilities that the other side would give virtually all they possess to destroy. And if being hunted like an animal were not bad enough she has to learn how to become a warrior in a battle she did not choose, to save people she does not know, and possibly even the very world around her.

If John Brodie can keep her alive long enough.

Ellie Alexander's Live and Let Pie is the most delicious installment yet in the fantastic Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Life is sweet once you step into Torte, everybody’s favorite small-town bakeshop. But what happens when it becomes the scene of a crime?

The heat is on for pastry chef, family business operator, and unlikely sleuth Jules Capshaw. Just when she thought she could enjoy some time away from the kitchen, Jules manages to discover a skull during a picnic by the lake. As if unearthing remains that may be connected to a missing-persons case from the 1960s isn’t enough on her plate, Jules must contend with the unsolved matter of her own marriage while her estranged husband Carlos sails the open seas, awaiting a verdict. Then there’s Jules’s bitter landlord Edgar, who is intent on making a sweet deal on a vacant lot down the block from Torte — until he turns up dead. If only Jules could find a recipe that would let her bake her cake and eat it, too.

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 31)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  How to Knit a Murder - Sally Goldenbaum
2.  The Whispered Word - Ellery Adams

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  Blood Feud - Robert B. Parker
2.  Before We Were Strangers - Brenda Novak
3.  A Scandal in Scarlet - Vicki Delany

Library Haul 2018 (Dec 30 - Jan 5)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Before We Were Strangers - Brenda Novak
2.  Blood Feud - Robert B. Parker

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Please list the books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks.      

A desperate underground war with the survival of millions at stake looms in the electrifying conclusion of the New York Times bestselling Bishop Files Trilogy.

Tasha Solomon's world turned upside-down when the psychic abilities she had tried so hard to live with in secret suddenly made her a target stalked by unseen enemies.

John Brodie is by nature, by training, and by instinct a Guardian. He is a member of an intricate and secretive network of individuals who have devoted their lives to the deadly struggle of saving psychics in danger of being taken or being killed. It is a war very few other people even know exists, and yet its tentacles stretch deeply and dangerously into every aspect of society.

Tasha has abilities not even she is aware of, abilities that the other side would give virtually all they possess to destroy. And if being hunted like an animal were not bad enough she has to learn how to become a warrior in a battle she did not choose, to save people she does not know, and possibly even the very world around her.

If John Brodie can keep her alive long enough.

Ellie Alexander's Live and Let Pie is the most delicious installment yet in the fantastic Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Life is sweet once you step into Torte, everybody’s favorite small-town bakeshop. But what happens when it becomes the scene of a crime?

The heat is on for pastry chef, family business operator, and unlikely sleuth Jules Capshaw. Just when she thought she could enjoy some time away from the kitchen, Jules manages to discover a skull during a picnic by the lake. As if unearthing remains that may be connected to a missing-persons case from the 1960s isn’t enough on her plate, Jules must contend with the unsolved matter of her own marriage while her estranged husband Carlos sails the open seas, awaiting a verdict. Then there’s Jules’s bitter landlord Edgar, who is intent on making a sweet deal on a vacant lot down the block from Torte — until he turns up dead. If only Jules could find a recipe that would let her bake her cake and eat it, too.

Yeast-Free Cinnamon Rolls

 

Ingredients

cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup butter, melted, divided
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add all ingredients to list

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray 4 muffin cups with cooking spray.

2.  Mix flour, 1 tablespoon white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

3.  Whisk milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour mixture; mix until a soft dough forms.

4.  Dust a flat work surface with flour. Roll dough out to a 6x7-inch rectangle. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter on top.

5.  Mix remaining 1 tablespoon white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.

6.  Roll dough lengthwise into a log. Cut into 4 pieces using a sharp serrated knife. Place 1 piece in each muffin cup.

7.  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on all sides, 13 to 15 minutes.

Merry Christmas

Wishing a Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends!

Jam Filled Butter Cookies

 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor


Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.

3.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 24)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  Cake and Punishment - Maymee Bell
2.  A Crafter Knits a Clue - Holly Quinn

Weekly Book Reading:

1. How to Knit a Murder - Sally Goldenbaum
2. The Whispered Word - Ellery Adams

Berry Shortbread Dreams

 

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 to 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

GLAZE

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 teaspoons water

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

2.  Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.

3.  Bake at 350° for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

4.  Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine confectioners' sugar, extract and enough water to achieve drizzling consistency; drizzle over cookies.

Library Haul 2018 (Dec 23 - 29)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Death and Daisies - Amanda Flower

Manga:

1.  Shortcake Cake Vol. 1 - Suu Morishita
2.  A Devil and Her Love Song Vol. 2 - 10 - Miyoshi Tomori

Christmas Bark Candy

 

Ingredients 

1 package (10 to 12 ounces) vanilla or white chips or 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups M and M's minis

Directions 

In a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt chips with oil; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in M&M's or pretzels. Spread onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Editor's NoteThis recipe was tested with an 850-watt microwave.

Bunny Express Saturday 2018 (Dec 22)

Bunny Express Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.     

The perfect gift for any bookworm in your life!

The Book Lover's Cup of Tea includes an innovative book-shaped tea infuser (titled "A Tale of Two Ci-Teas") that offers two ways to brew: Dunk the entire book into your cup, or let the cover rest on the rim of your tea cup and hang the tea-filled pages into your hot water to steep.

The kit also includes a 32-page mini book with tips for making the perfect cup of tea; suggestions for tea and book pairings (fancy a cup of Dorian Earl Gray?); and scrumptious recipes for tea sandwiches, cakes, and cookies, perfect for a book club gathering or a long, lazy day of reading.

Special Fruit Cake

Ingredients

2 packages (8 ounces each) pitted dates, chopped
1 pound chopped candied pineapple
1 pound red candied cherries
1/2 pound walnut halves
1/2 pound Brazil nuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash salt
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Grease well and flour two 8x4-in. loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine dates, pineapple, cherries and nuts. In a small bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir into fruit mixture until well coated.

2. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks until slightly thickened. In another bowl, beat egg whites and vanilla until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, stir a fourth of the egg whites into egg yolk mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in remaining egg whites until combined. Add to fruit mixture; gently fold until blended. Pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 20 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool dry place. Using a serrated knife, cut into slices.

Grandma’s Christmas Brittle

 

Ingredients 

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1 jar (16 ounces) unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions 

1.  Grease two baking sheets and keep warm in a 200° oven. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reaches 240° (soft-ball stage). Stir in butter, salt and peanuts. Continue heating, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 300°.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the baking soda, 1 teaspoon water and vanilla. Remove saucepan from the heat. Stir in baking soda mixture. Quickly pour half the mixture over each baking sheet. Spread with a buttered metal spatula to a 1/4-in. thickness. Cool. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Nanny’s Fruitcake Cookies

 

Ingredients

1-2/3 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1-1/3 cups golden raisins
1 cup pitted dried plums, chopped
2/3 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1.  Place the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with Triple Sec and toss to combine. Let stand, covered, overnight.

2.  In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars and nutmeg until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in fruit mixture.

3.  Divide dough in half; shape each into a 12x3x1-in. rectangular log. Cover; refrigerate overnight or until firm.

4.  Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover and cut dough crosswise into 1/2-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are light brown, 13-16 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Please list the books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks. 

It’s a demon-eat-demon world for Nick Gautier. Just when he thinks he’s finally gotten a handle on how not to take over the world and destroy it, Death returns with an all-star cast that is determined to end the Malachai reign and lineage forever. Worse? Death and War have found the one, true enemy Nick can’t find, and even if he did, it’s one he could never bring himself to banish or kill.

Now framed for murders he hasn’t committed, and surrounded by new friends who might be turncoats, Nick is learning fast how his father went down in flames.

The heat in New Orleans is rising fast, and Nick’s threat-level has gone into a whole new level of intensity. He’s learning fast that when War and Death decide to battle, they don’t take prisoners. The don’t negotiate. And they’re both immune to his biting sarcasm and Cajun charm. To win this, he will have to embrace a new set of powers, but one wrong step, and he will belong to the side of Darkness, forever.

Grandma's Christmas Cake

 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
2 cups raisins
2 cups water
1 cup butter, cubed
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and cloves
1 cup chopped pecans

BRANDY BUTTER SAUCE

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup brandy

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, raisins, water and butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add raisin mixture; beat until blended. Fold in pecans.

3. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. For sauce, in a large saucepan, bring cream to a boil; stir in butter and sugar until smooth. Reduce heat; stir a small amount of hot liquid into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon (do not boil). Remove from the heat; stir in brandy. Serve warm with cake. Yield: 12 servings.

New Release 2018 (Dec 18)

New Release

A is for Akri, and B is for…barbecue! Learn the Alphabet Simi-style! Join everyone’s favorite adorable little demon from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunters® as she explores the alphabet in her own unique and colorful way in this delightful new children’s book.

Simi is one of the most recognized and adored characters from Kenyon’s Nick Chronicles® and Dark-Hunters®. Now you can join her for a thrilling adventure unlike any other as she explores the world of Dark-Hunter® while learning her alphabet.

This picture book showcases the imaginative artwork of the Dabel Brothers and the artist Juno, and features all your most beloved Dark-Hunter characters, including Acheron, Menyara, Nick, and even some of the villains. Menyons of all ages will be enchanted by this brilliant new look into the Dark-Hunters® universe.

It’s the Simi book fans have been clamoring for, and one they can enjoy with their kids for generations to come!

Weekly Book Reads (Dec 17)

Weekly Book Reads

Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1. Silent Scream - Karen Harper
2. Mardi Gras Murder - Ellen Byron

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  Cake and Punishment - Maymee Bell
2.  A Crafter Knits a Clue - Holly Quinn

Library Haul 2018 (Dec 16 - 22)

Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  The Whispered Word - Ellery Adams
2.  Power Bowls - Christal Sczebel

Bunny Express Saturday 2018 (Dec 15)

Bunny Express Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.     

Nora Roberts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the epic Year One returns with Of Blood and Bone, a new tale of terror and magick in a brand new world.

They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed.

Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before ― the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted ― and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden.

In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

Laura Childs's Eggs on Ice Blog Tour with a Spotlight and Giveaway

 

I am so excited to have Laura Childs here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight and Giveaway.

Thanks Laura and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for allowing me to join your Eggs on Ice Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Laura!

Eggs on Ice (A Cackleberry Club Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Berkley (December 4, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0425281728
ISBN-13: 978-0425281727
Kindle ASIN: B07BD23MV9




Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of “A Christmas Carol” is just playing to type. He’s not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you’d have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still it’s a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred’s favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni’s almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links

Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31

Purchase Links

Amazon B and N Kobo Google Play IndieBound

Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792812

Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/books-currently-on-tour/eggs-on-ice-a-cackleberry-club-mystery-by-laura-childs

 

Dianne Ascroft's A Timeless Celebration Blog Tour with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway

 

I am so excited to have Dianne Ascroft here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway.

Thanks Dianne and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for allowing me to join your A Timeless Celebration Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Dianne!

Excerpt

A Timeless Celebration Excerpt, Chapter 2

She was enjoying the afternoon. It had turned out to be fun to get out and meet people, but she really wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship with a man. James was always there in her mind. The pain was lessening but it was nowhere near gone yet. It wasn’t time to think about a new relationship yet, despite Marge’s attempts at matchmaking. But she did have to agree with her friend: it had been a good idea to get out today.

As she stood, staring off into space, a hand gripped her upper arm. She jumped and turned to find Marge leaning close to her ear.

“Lois, I don’t believe it!”

“What?”

“I can’t find it.”

“What are you looking for?”

“The watch.”

“Your watch?”

“No, the one from Isabella Morton,” Marge hissed.

“Isn’t it on the desk where you left it before the speeches?”

Marge shook her head.

“Did it fall off? Maybe it’s under the desk.”

“No, I’ve looked all around the office. There’s just the box where I left it on the desk.”

“Want me to help you have another look?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

The two women crossed the room and walked the short distance to the end of the hallway. In the office, they searched the top of the desk, all the drawers in it and every other surface and shelf, but half an hour later there was still no sign of the watch.

“Would one of the other staff have moved it somewhere for safekeeping?” Lois asked.

“Nah, I’m responsible for it. No one would’ve touched it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“Then what’s happened to it?” Lois frowned. She couldn’t remember Marge locking the office when they left earlier. “Was the room unlocked all afternoon?”

“Yeah. People are honest around here. I never even thought of locking it.” Marge raked her hand through her hair, messing up the carefully hairsprayed coif. “Man, I’m in for it now. I’ll probably get the sack.”

The sound of heavy footsteps approaching the office made both women look toward the doorway.

Dave Stewart poked his head through the door and grinned. “Everyone’s leaving and I’m locking up now. You ladies planning to stay here tonight?”

Marge stared at him speechlessly.

“Everything alright?” Dave asked.

When Marge still didn’t speak, Lois smiled at the man. “Yeah, we just lost track of time chatting here.”

Dave laughed. “Well, everyone knows what Marge’s like when she gets going.” He looked at Marge again. “I think this is the quietest I’ve ever seen her. You sure you’re alright, Marge?”

Marge gave Dave a weak smile. “Yeah, sure. We’ll get out of here. Don’t want to keep you from your supper. Are you barbecuing burgers tonight?”

“Yeah, every Saturday night during the summer. Nothing beats burgers in the back yard.”

The two women lifted their purses and silently followed Dave from the room. Marge stopped and locked the office door before they made their way to the front entrance where they left Dave. They still didn’t speak as they walked down the two flights of stairs and around to the parking lot behind the building.

“Oh dear, now what?” Marge looked dejected as she gazed at her friend. “If I can’t get that watch back, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I really like it at the museum. I don’t want to lose this job. And I won’t get another archivist’s job around here. I don’t want to commute to TO every day.”

Lois gripped her friend’s forearm. “You’re not gonna lose this job. It has to turn up. It didn’t just walk out of there on its own.”

“I know but —”

“Can we get into the building tomorrow when no one will be around so we can have another look?”

“I don’t have a front door key. Just one for my office, which I’ve never used before today.”

“Well, come around to my house and we’ll go over everything and see what we can remember about this afternoon. Maybe we’ll be able to figure out what’s happened to it. I’ll meet you back at the house.”

“I can’t tonight. I’ve got to drive Mom over to her cousin’s in Georgetown for supper.”

“Well, come around to my place in the morning then, when your mom’s at church.”

“Okay, thanks. I’m so glad you’re here.”

Lois squeezed her friend’s arm again and gave her a determined smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. Try to relax and enjoy the evening with your relatives. See you in the morning.”

END OF EXCERPT 

A Timeless Celebration (Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Self Published (October 25, 2018)
Print Length: 245 pages
ASIN: B07HF847NN



A small town, a big party, a stolen gift. When an artefact from the Titanic is stolen before her town’s 150th anniversary celebration, it’s up to Lois Stone to catch the thief.

Middle-aged widow Lois has moved from bustling Toronto to tranquil Fenwater and is settling into her new life away from the dangers of the city. Then two events happen that shatter her serenity: her house is burgled and an antique watch belonging to a Titanic survivor is stolen from the local museum. Her best friend, Marge, was responsible for the watch’s safekeeping until its official presentation to the museum at the town’s 150th anniversary party, and its disappearance will jeopardise her job and the museum’s future. Lois won’t let her friend take the blame and the consequences for the theft. She’s determined to find the watch in time to save her best friend’s job, the museum’s future and the town’s 150th anniversary celebration.

And so begins a week of new friends, apple and cinnamon muffins, calico cats, midnight intruders, shadowy caprine companions and more than one person with a reason to steal the watch, set against the backdrop of century houses on leafy residential streets, the swirling melodies of bagpipes, a shimmering heat haze and the burble of cool water.

About the Author


Dianne Ascroft is a Torontonian who has settled in rural Northern Ireland. She and her husband live on a small farm with an assortment of strong-willed animals.

A Timeless Celebration is the first novel in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series.

Her previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.

Dianne writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and newspapers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys walks in the countryside, evenings in front of her open fireplace and folk and traditional music.

Author Links

Website: http://www.dianneascroft.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter

Twitter: @DianneAscroft

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1357575.Dianne_Ascroft

Newsletter Sign up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3

Purchase Links

Amazon ebook: US – UK

Amazon print: US – UK 

Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792815 

Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/books-currently-on-tour/a-timeless-celebration-century-cottage-cozy-mysteries-by-dianne-ascroft

Mike Martin's Darkest Before The Dawn Blog Tour with a Spotlight and Giveaway

 

I am so excited to have Mike Martin here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight and Giveaway.

Thanks Mike and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for allowing me to join your Darkest Before The Dawn Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Mike!

Darkest Before the Dawn (Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Supernatural Suspense Mystery
7th in Series
Ottawa Press and Publishing (September 27, 2018)
Paperback: 266 pages
ISBN-10: 198843713X
ISBN-13: 978-1988437132
Digital ASIN: B07HRTTMLY




Darkest Before The Dawn is the latest adventure in the Sgt. Winston Windflower mystery series, the popular Maritime tales about a Mountie who finds himself with a new family and a new life in tiny Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Ghosts, mysterious deaths, and a new, perplexing character confront Windflower, Tizzard and the other police officers in Grand Bank as they unearth secrets that have been lying hidden in the sleepy hamlet for decades. A fast-moving mystery, Darkest Before The Dawn is also a story of love, loss and learning how to grow old gracefully; a tale of family, community and looking after each other, of not giving up hope, just before the dawn.

About the Author

Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a longtime freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine.

The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Other books in the series include The Body on the T, Beneath the Surface, A Twist of Fortune and A Long Ways from Home.

A Long Ways from Home was shortlisted for the 2017 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award as the best light mystery of the year. A Tangled Web is the newest book in the series.

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore/

Twitter @mike54martin

Website www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com

Purchase Link – Amazon

Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792817

Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/books-currently-on-tour/darkest-before-the-dawn-sgt-windflower-mystery-series-by-mike-martin

 

Teresa Inge, Heather Weidner, Jayne Ormerod and Rosemary Shomaker's To Fetch A Thief Blog Tour with a Spotlight

 

I am so excited to have Teresa Inge, Heather Weidner, Jayne Ormerod and Rosemary Shomaker here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight.

Thanks Teresa, Heather, Jayne, Rosemary and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for allowing me to join your To Fetch A Thief Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Teresa, Heather, Jayne and Rosemary! 

To Fetch A Thief
Cozy Mystery Anthology
Light, humorous, dog-themed mysteries.
Bay Breeze Publishing, LLC (November 8, 2018)
Paperback: 278 pages
ISBN-10: 1732790701
ISBN-13: 978-1732790704
Digital ASIN: B07K97ZYY6





To Fetch a Thief, the first Mutt Mysteries collection, features four novellas that have gone to the dogs. In this howlingly good read, canine companions help their owners solve crimes and right wrongs. These sleuths may be furry and low to the ground, but their keen senses are on high alert when it comes to sniffing out clues and digging up the truth. Make no bones about it, these pup heroes will steal your heart as they conquer ruff villains.

About the Authors

Teresa Inge grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries. Today, she doesn’t carry a rod like her idol, but she hotrods. She is president of Sister’s in Crime Mystery by the Sea Chapter and author of short mysteries in Virginia is for Mysteries and 50 Shades of Cabernet.

Website: www.teresainge.com
Connect with Teresa on Facebook, and Twitter

Heather Weidner, a member of SinC – Central Virginia and Guppies, is the author of the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, Secret Lives and Private Eyes and The Tulip Shirt Murders. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series and 50 Shades of Cabernet. Heather lives in Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers, Disney and Riley. She’s been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. Some of her life experience comes from being a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, IT manager, and cop’s kid. She blogs at Pens, Paws, and Claws.

Website and Blog: http://www.heatherweidner.com
Pens, Paws, and Claws Website and Blog: http://penspawsandclaws.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherWeidner1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherWeidnerAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_mystery_writer/

Jayne Ormerod grew up in a small Ohio town then went on to a small-town Ohio college. Upon earning her degree in accountancy, she became a CIA (that’s not a sexy spy thing, but a Certified Internal Auditor.) She married a naval officer and off they sailed to see the world. After nineteen moves, they, along with their two rescue dogs Tiller and Scout, have settled into a cozy cottage by the sea. Jayne is the author of the Blonds at the Beach Mysteries, The Blond Leading the Blond, and Blond Luck. She has contributed seven short mysteries to various anthologies to include joining with the other To Fetch a Thief authors in Virginia is for Mysteries, Volumes I and II, and 50 Shades of Cabernet.

Website: www.JayneOrmerod.com
Blog: www.JayneOrmerod.blogspot.com


 

Rosemary Shomaker writes about the unexpected in everyday life. She’s the woman you don’t notice in the grocery store or at church but whom you do notice at estate sales and wandering vacant lots. In all these places she’s collecting story ideas. Rosemary writes women’s fiction, paranormal, and mystery short stories, and she’s taking her first steps toward longer fiction, so stay tuned. She’s an urban planner by education, a government policy analyst by trade, and a fiction writer at heart. Rosemary credits Sisters in Crime with developing her craft and applauds the organization’s mission of promoting the ongoing advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers.

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8121853.Rosemary_Shomaker

More Links:

Website: http://muttmysteries.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MuttMysteries
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MuttMysteries1
Purchase Links – Amazon   Kobo   B and N

Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/books-currently-on-tour/to-fetch-a-thief-by-teresa-inge-heather-weidner-jayne-ormerod-and-rosemary-shomaker