Photo Credit: Goodreads
This galley was requested through Netgalley in exchange for fair and honest opinion.
Inherit the Word
It’s time for Grill Fest and the contestants are getting restless. Natalie and Lola are sparring back and forth- first over a chef, then over who will win the Grill Fest. Tempers are running high and the competition is fierce…… and deadly. When Natalie is found in the alley, all the people at Grill Fest wonder who killed her.
Photo Credit: Goodreads
This is it. The 17th book in this series has broken my will to read another book in this series. The love triangle that will never end has killed my book loving soul.
Cozy mysteries are some of my favs to read- they are light, fluffy, dashes of romance and small-towns with interesting characters. They are series, so you, the reader, gets plenty of time to know the characters. That’s the good thing about cozy mysteries.
Cozy mysteries deal with s-e-x & romance in variously different ways. Some (Lucy Burdette’s KEY WEST FOOD CRITIC, for example,) the main character is looking for love. Others (Kate Collins’s FLOWER SHOP mysteries- the main character has found love and is married). Different ones have different ways to acknowledge the relationship between a man and woman- some do it with a “wink and nudge”, others are a teensy bit more in your face about it (but never to the point of a 50 Shades situation). Joanne, though, chooses not to acknowledge. At all. Her earlier books had a couple of mentions of some romance- but the past few, she has stalled. The love triangle between Hannah, the main character, and her 2 suitors have cooled considerably. Now it’s like they are all good friends and Hannah occasionally wonders which one is right for her.
Lots of readers like the “clean” aspect of Joanne Fluke’s stories and I have to say that is fine with me. But, after 17 books, 17 books in which she is “dating” both the single male characters in this series- it is time. Time to make a choice. Time to pick someone. This carrot of who she will pick has been dangled 1 too many times- and it’s time for an end.
Why did I read this last book? I want to see a resolution. I want to feel that my time spent with Hannah was worth something and not fruitless.
I’ve been a Hannah fan for some time (but I’ve always given out tough love when it comes to Hannah- see: Joanne Fluke, Hannah Swensen and the “love triangle that needs to end“.
After this last book, BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER, I’m just at the end of the rope. I’m convinced that Joanne Fluke has no intentions of ending the triangle and will continue to write about Hannah, Mike and Norman “dating” for the rest of their lives.
Joanne, wherever you are, I hope sincerely that you are reading the reviews of the book, that you are reading the Amazon reviews- not to have your feelings hurt- but to see that there are people out there who really have enjoyed this series in the past and wish that there would be some changes, some fresh air breathed back in the series. Most of us like Hannah and wish to see her grow as a character.
How many books do you think is too long for a love triangle? Share your thoughts by commenting!
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Today, Traveling With T is a stop on the DAYS OF WINE and ROQUEFORT by Avery Aames blog tour sponsored by Escape With Dollycas. This tour has multiple stops- guest posts & giveaways! There is a big, huge tour-wide giveaway happening (with a great prize- 4 Cheese Shop Mystery Books PLUS the 1st book in the Cookbook Nook series- written by Daryl Wood Gerber, who you know as Avery Aames!) Continue reading
Hayley Snow is a character that Lucy Burdette created. And I don’t like to play favorites- but Hayley is in my top 5 fav cozy mystery characters. Maybe it’s her food critic job, or the fact that she has been unlucky in love (and I can relate). Perhaps, it’s because she rides a scooter everywhere and I think that is so cool. But, maybe, just maybe- it’s Hayley and her love of having her tarot cards read. Continue reading
Meg London writes the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie Mystery series (she also writes under he real name of Peg Cochran, The Gourmet De-Lite Mystery Series). Read on to find out why you should be reading her cozy books!
Interview with Meg London
1. Meg, how would you describe the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series?
It’s set in Paris, Tennessee, and I’d like to think it’s full of Southern charm :). The series revolves around Arabella and her niece Emma. They have renovated Arabella’s lingerie shop (ripped out the pea green shag from the 1970s and it’s now pale pink with black and white toile accents) and found their niche in vintage lingerie. There’s mystery and murder (of course) but romance, too. Emma realizes she’s in love with her best friend, Liz’s, brother. Arabella has several men interested in her and Sylvia, the crusty ex-New Yorker they’ve hired as a bra fitter, finds love in the Laced with Poison. Oh, and I won’t tell you what Pierre, Arabella’s French bulldog, gets up to!
2. Emma Taylor, the main character in the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series, how would you describe her? How did you create the character of Emma?
She crystalized for me when I saw a picture of Carey Mulligan with short, dark hair. I thought, “that’s Emma!” Emma is a bit of a wounded bird at first—her ex-boyfriend was cheating on her with several high profile models—but she’s tough, too. She’s the sort who makes the best of things and tries to remain cheerful no matter what comes her way.
3. What is the best thing about writing cozy mysteries?
Being able to create my own world and then lose myself in it! I love cozies because they’re all about the people, their secrets, the gossip they spread, their relationships. I’m not as interested in the forensics and the grooves on a bullet leading to the killer but rather the analysis of personalities and putting the pieces together through what people say and do.
4. Meg, do you have a street team to help promote your books? If you don’t, is this something that you might consider?
I don’t have a street team. I’ve only recently heard of the term. I think I could use one!
5. Meg- you have 2 series- one, the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series and the other written by you as Peg Cochran- the Gourmet De-Lite Mystery series. Emma and Gigi are the main characters- which character is more like you?
I think Gigi is probably a little more like me—she’s a bit older than Emma, has been married and loves to cook (which I do, too.) She also went to Catholic school (same here). I suppose writers put a little bit of themselves in every character, but I view Emma and Gigi as people in their own right. Sometimes I have to remind myself that they don’t really exist.
6. What can readers of the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series expect from Emma next?
Well…I don’t want to give away too much about the next book, but she faces some family issues, and her romance with Brian heats up nicely!
*Thanks to Meg London for the interview!
Meg London, also known as Peg Cochran, writes 2 different cozy mystery series. One is the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series by Meg London and the other is the Gourmet De-Lite Mystery series written by Peg Cochran. Both Meg and Peg can be found on her website!
To see my review of Steamed to Death by Peg Cochran- read HERE.
I love an easy appetizer, one that can wow my guests with not only flavor but beauty. This is it. I found this recipe in a cheese-y magazine that I have turned to often for my research when writing the Cheese Shop Mysteries and now with the Cookbook Nook Mysteries…because the second in the series, INHERIT THE WORD, features a grilled cheese competition. Oh, yum!!
Anyway, this appetizer is easy to construct.
For those who don’t know, Camembert (rhymes with pear) is like a Brie. It is a surface-ripened cow’s cheese with a firm white rind, first made in Camembert, Normandy in the 18th century. When served at room temperature, the cheese becomes soft. The rind is edible and is needed in this recipe to hold the shape of the appetizer. Some people prefer to eat the cheese without the rind. That’s okay! I would serve this appetizer with a fruity sauvignon blanc.
Enjoy!
CAMEMBERT PEAR APPETIZER
Ingredients:
1 8 oz. round of Camembert
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Bosc pear, peeled and cut into tiny cubes
1 Tablespoon rosemary (fresh, if you can, chopped)
2 Tablespoons Triple Sec (or other orange liqueur r)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
Directions:
Remove the Camembert from the refrigerator and slice in half. Set aside.
Peel the Bosc pear. (It does not have to be completely ripe; may be firm)
Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the pear and cook about 3-4 minutes, until the pear is tender. Add the rosemary and Triple Sec. Cook another minute.
Remove the pears from the pan.
Set one half of the Camembert, bloomy rind side down, on a pretty serving dish. Pour almost all of the pears (except 2 Tablespoons) on the bottom half of the Camembert. Top with the other half of Camembert (bloomy rind on top). Top with the remaining pears.
Return the saucepan to the stove. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey and cook about one to two minutes, letting the combination reduce. Pour over the cheese and pears. Serve immediately (if you can, but sometimes guests aren’t always on time). It’s lovely at room temperature, too.
QUESTION: Do you browse magazines or cookbooks for recipes or both? Does a beautiful picture make you want to make a recipe?
Final Sentence
Series: Cookbook Nook Mystery
Publisher: Berkley
Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN: 978-0425258040
Source: Cozy Mystery Reviews
Final Sentence is the first book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series written by Daryl Wood Gerber. This series features Jenna Hart and her new venture- which should make cozy mystery lovers and foodies happy- as she mentions several great cozy mystery books and cookbooks in her writing.
Jenna Hart moves back to Crystal Cove to manage the Cookbook Nook for her Aunt Vera. Jenna is in need of a change since her husband, David, has died in a boating accident- she’s looking for a fresh start and a way to occupy her time. The Cookbook Nook has a special grand opening planned with celebrity cook, Desiree Divine (who Jenna went to college with) being the main attraction. Desiree and Jenna are looking forward to the grand opening- until Desiree’s sister tells Jenna that Desiree and David had an affair. Before the grand opening can happen, Desiree’s body is found on the beach- and Jenna becomes a suspect!
Jenna knows she didn’t kill Desiree- so to help clear her name, she begins investigating on her own. Jenna finds several other people who would have liked to hurt Desiree- her sister, her current lover, an old restaurant friend/mentor- and several others. Jenna realizes that she’s got to get to the bottom of this investigation before the police arrive to put the handcuff on Jenna.
Set in a charming town, Final Sentence is a cute little cozy. The Cookbook Nook is a nice little place for mystery and foodie fans- and Jenna is a delightful main character.
Traveling With T’s Thoughts:
Final Sentence is a good first book in a series. The mystery, the characters, the setting- all interesting. The only problem (to me) is that one character, Katie, says “Hoo Boy” a few too many times. For fans of cozy mystery books, this will be sure to please.
DARYL WOOD GERBER aka AVERY AAMES pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series. As DARYL, she writes A Cookbook Nook Mystery series, featuring a culinary bookshop and café owner. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. As an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more. Visit Daryl & Avery at www.darylwoodgerber.com. Check out her recipes on her blog www.mysteryloverskitchen.com and friend her on Facebook.
*GIVEAWAY: Thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber, each blog stop on the Final Sentence blog tour sponsored by Cozy Mystery Reviews has a copy of Final Sentence to give to a lucky person! Comment on this post for a chance to win- please include your email (you may use the AT and DOT).
Giveaway is open to US only (sorry!) and will begin July 8th and end July 11th at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be notified on July 12 and will have 48 hours to reply to email before a new winner is chosen.
Today on Traveling With T, I have an Author Q&A with Kate Carlisle and a giveaway of her latest book, A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY (June 4th). Take some time, read the Q&A and then enter the giveaway!
Kate Carlisle, author of the Bibliophile Mystery series, says that a life-long love of books lead her to the writing of the Bibliophile Mystery series. To find out more about Kate, visit her website or her About Me page. To connect with Kate, check out her Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest pages. To see the list of Bibliophile mystery books, visit her Books page.
To buy A Cookbook Conspiracy, visit Amazon, Indiebound or Barnes and Noble.
To read an excerpt of A Cookbook Conspiracy, read HERE.
Author Q&A with Kate Carlisle:
1. What drew you to writing cozy mysteries? What inspired you to write the Bibliophile mysteries?
I’ve always loved to read mystery series, where you really get to know the characters. After the first book, they feel like friends, so it’s a reunion and a celebration when the next book in the series comes out. I love that the culprit is always caught, I love the humor in the genre and the fact that the violence is not the sort of gore you get in thriller novels.
My tagline is “Smart. Funny. Murder.” and I think that really captures the feeling I so love when reading – and writing – cozy mysteries.
As for what inspired me to write the Bibliophile Mysteries, book binding has been a hobby of mine for many years. I try to take at least a couple of classes in book arts every year. The process of restoring well-loved books has always fascinated me. I wanted to write a book series that centered around books in a different way than any other author had done. And so Brooklyn Wainwright, world-class bookbinder, came to be.
In each Bibliophile Mystery, Brooklyn is asked to restore a different rare book. She can bring any book back to life. Sadly, she doesn’t have the same power to revive the murder victims she finds. Somehow, their death is linked to the book she’s restoring, and Brooklyn is doggedly determined to bring the killer to justice.
2. Do you have a favorite character in your series? A character that is fun to write?
I adore so many of the characters, it’s hard to choose just one! I love writing Derek Stone, Brooklyn’s love interest. Derek is a British security expert – like James Bond, but without the license to kill and without the fear of commitment. He’s smooth, sexy, and he has an edge of danger that I personally find irresistible. So does Brooklyn!
I also love writing Brooklyn’s parents. Jim and Becky Wainwright followed the Grateful Dead on tour for years and named their six kids after the place each was conceived. When they got off the road, they raised their kids on a wine country commune. Through hard work and smarts, they helped the commune thrive, so that now all its members have beautiful homes and plenty of cash.
In A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY, the character I really enjoyed getting to know better was Brooklyn’s sister Savannah. Savannah is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who specializes in vegetarian cuisine with gourmet flair. When Savannah is discovered over her ex-boyfriend’s dead body with a bloody knife in her hand, Brooklyn knows instantly that she must prove her sister’s innocence. But it won’t be easy – there are so many people with a grudge against the obnoxious celebrity chef, that Brooklyn will have a tough time figuring out which one took that final, irreversible step. All she knows is that it wasn’t her sister.
** For the giveaway- please make a comment and leave your email address (you may use the AT and DOT to help prevent spam). The giveaway will end Monday night, 11:59pmEST. A winner will be randomly selected from the eligible entries (Sorry! US Only)
While, it will not add extra chances to your potential of winning- I do hope that you’ll consider either following the blog or “liking” me on Facebook- that would be the extra sprinkles on my ice cream sundae of a day 🙂
Title: Game Drive
Author: Marie Moore
Series: Sidney Marsh Murder Series
Publisher: Camel Press
ISBN: 978-1603819619
Sidney Marsh, born a Mississippi girl, but moved to the Big Apple- where she is now a travel agent for Itchy Feet Travel (don’t blame Sidney- she didn’t pick the name!) Sidney likes her work and loves her friend, Jay, who is a fun friend at the travel agency. One day Sidney walks in Itchy Feet late, and realizes the normal decor is gone and everything is different- more African safari like decorations. Turns out as she walks in the meeting, that this is the owner’s plan- safari’s for the groups as a way to drum up new business. Sidney and Jay get chosen to go on a “fam trip” to Africa (to familarize themselves with what to expect before they take a group on a safari). After the debacle of the last trip that Sidney and Jay were on- it’s made clear to both of them that this trip to Africa needs to go smoothly.
Of course, best laid plans and all- the trip to Africa starts out ok; but slowly begins to disintegrate. Jay’s nervous about the animals, Sidney’s pocket gets picked, and one of the travel agents has a terrible habit of making everyone wait! As Sidney listens and learns more about each travel agent- she becomes suspicious that someone on the “fam trip” is an imposter. Still, for the most part, Jay and Sidney are happy on the trip- until a body is found. Was it an accident? Did one of the animals attack? Or was it something more sinister? The “fam trip” continues, but Sidney and Jay are growing more suspicious as the days go by- and they aren’t the only ones. Before this trip is over, more things will have went wrong, true identities will be revealed, and Sidney will learn that in Africa- it’s not only the wild animals that need to be feared- sometimes the humans are the most dangerous.
With danger, intrigue, romance, and more- Sidney Marsh takes the readers on a ride that is fun and interesting!
Blogger’s opinion: This is my first Marie Moore book, and I found the story enjoyable. The story flowed fairly well for the most part. Sidney is an interesting character, and I liked the character Jay. With it being a book that had a travel angle- I did expect some travel agent talk; and while some was needed- perhaps it had just a bit too much. However, the book has more positive than negative about it. I do believe that I’ll be checking out the first book in the Sidney Marsh series- and look forward to reading more about Sidney.
*BIG HUGE GIVEAWAY! Cozy Mystery Reviews is offering a GREAT giveaway! Details HERE!
Topped Chef
ISBN:978-0451239709
Publisher: Signet
Author: Lucy Burdette
Series: Key West Food Critic Mystery
Reviewed by: Traveling With T
Hayley Snow, food critic for Key Zest magazine, enjoys food. She enjoys writing about food, letting the public know of the food that can’t be missed- and she enjoys eating! What Hayley does not enjoy is writing a review that is critical- but as a food critic, it just has to be done. When the owner of the restaurant that happened to be the recipient of a negative review (hey she gave them 3 times to get the act together!) and Hayley wind up as judges for a Key West Topped Chef contest- Hayley wonders how fun the Key West Topped Chef contest will be.
So Hayley’s not thrilled about that part of her life- neither is she too happy over her potential romance with Detective Bransford- it’s beginning to look like a case of DOA. Then when Hayley finds out about Sam Rizzoli, the restaurant owner that she just gave a bad review, is hanging from his boat-dead and dressed oddly- she realizes that she is in the middle of another mystery- yet again. Did someone have a grudge against Sam? He was a mover and shaker in town- with his own agenda. Or is someone picking the judges of the Key West Topped Chef off one by one? Could someone want to be so famous that they would stoop to any depth to make it happen?
Hayley knows this: She has to find out what’s going on- or else she may have written her last article for Key Zest magazine.
Blogger’s note: I really enjoy the Key West Food Critic series. Adore Hayley (how can you not ADORE Hayley?) She’s a great character- someone who looks like she could be your BFF. Plus, her tendency to have her tarot cards read when facing an issue- that’s just great. I would love to have my tarot cards read with Hayley! Good plot, some romantic entanglements, and a mystery that was fun- with enough red-herrings to not guess the villain.
Readers of Traveling With T- you are in for a treat! Roberta Iselib, the person behind the pen name of Lucy Burdette, agreed to a quick interview!
Interview with Lucy Burdette:
1. Is Hayley based on anyone in your life? Or just a figment of your imagination?
Hayley is right out of my imagination. Which really makes for a lot of fun because I don’t have a mental script to stick to. She is quite different from the last character I wrote about (Rebecca Butterman in the advice column mysteries), who had a career similar to mine as a psychologist.
2. If the Key West Food Critic Mysteries were made into a movie/TV show- do you have anyone in mind to play the cast?
Amy Adams as Hayley…and Meryl Streep as her mother. *Note: After I asked this question, Roberta confessed that she’s terrible at picking actors for this type of thing- but I (and I think other readers) could agree that these 2 actresses could definitely work!
3. Can you let the readers in on some tidbits of information for future books about Hayley and friends? And, do you as the writer have a specific end in mind? Or are you taking it on a book by book basis?
I have a contract for two more books in this series, and hope there will be more after that–because I LOVE writing them. Right now I’m closing in on finishing #4, MURDER WITH GANACHE, which will be out in February 2014. (Don’t you love the title?) There is a wedding coming up (I won’t say whose so I don’t spoil the story), and Hayley’s family is descending on Key West. All of them!
And the news just keep getting better! Cozy Mystery Reviews is sponsoring a BIG HUGE GIVEAWAY! Details HERE!
Thanks to Roberta Iselib for answering some questions about Key West Food Critic Mystery series!
Fiber and Brimstone by Laura Childs is the 4th book I’ve read in the Cruisin Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2013. It is my first Laura Childs book, however.
New Orleans. Halloween. What could be better? When Carmela and Ava discover the body of Brett Fowler- minutes after they overheard an argument between Jeykll Hardy and Fowler, the ladies are distressed. But Carmela puts on her sleuthing hat- all the while running her scrapbook store and vows to make sure the police don’t focus on Jekyll- after all there are many more suspects to consider. Especially when Fowlers’s business practices come to light.
Carmela’s also having to deal with her ex- Shamus and her current lover, Edgar Babcock. It’s a lot for her to deal with, but nothing that Carmela can’t handle. Coupled with her friend, Ava, the two make plans to find the killer, find Ava a boyfriend and figure out the clues for the treasure hunt. While having a spookily good time!
Traveling With T 