My Reading Journeys: Of Murder and Men-A Great Escapes Tour

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)

Love is in the air in Aspen Hills, and it’s making a terrible mess of Cat Latimer’s writers’ retreat—especially when blood stains the plot . . .

Ever since her business partner, Shauna, fell for a wealthy landowner in town, Cat has been working double time to keep her writers’ retreat running. And with the January session almost underway, that spells trouble. As if scheduling mishaps aren’t disastrous enough, Shauna skips out on kitchen duties one morning, forcing Cat to serve unsuspecting guests store-bought muffins . . .

But best laid plans really go awry when Shauna discovers her beau missing from their bed. When his body later turns up in the horse barn, they quickly find out the victim’s scandalous lifestyle left many dying for revenge. While balancing an eccentric group of aspiring writers and a suspect list for the record books, Cat soon finds herself on the heels of a killer—and authoring her most deadly conclusion yet . . .

Character interview

Hello Cat! Welcome to the blog.

Thanks for having me over, Sherry.

Have you ever visited a blog before? Yes, my author trots me out a lot for Killer Characters, the blog where the characters do the talking. I think she just signed me up for that to keep me busy.

Aspen Hills sounds like such a nice place to live. Have you lived there long? I grew up in Aspen Hills. My uncle's the police chief. My folks used to live here, but decided Florida was a better place to hang out. I went to college and graduated school at Covington, our local college, then started teaching there after getting my degree. My ex-husband and I bought the Victorian and started remodeling. Then came the divorce. Long story short, I'm back in Aspen Hills and in my Victorian, minus the ex husband.

Where exactly is Aspen Hills located? It sounds like a quaint little town! We'r about two hours south of Denver, near the National Forest. Close enough to big city conveniences like airports and shopping, but far enough away for that small town feel. We're really close to a small ski resort and the hiking here is amazing.

I would love to visit. What is your favorite place in town? My favorite place is probably The Written Word. It's our local bookstore. Or maybe Covington Library. I love just walking through that place. It feels like the books are talking to me. But I'm a book nerd. And proud of it. The coffee shop's not bad either.

The retreat center sounds so fun. Can you tell us a little about it. We hold the retreat once a month. I like to keep it to 4-5 writers, that way they get a lot of time with me. They have full access to the Covington Library the week they're here and one of the English professors come and give a talk on the Hemingway papers. The library has his entire collection. It was quite a boost to the college.

A little of how you came to manage it? Shauna and I provided breakfast and snacks and then they write. We've had writers finish entire books while they're here. Lately we've been adding side trips to places like the Little Ski Hill just to give the writers a taste of Colorado while they're here.

Oh so it is a B&B so when your not hosting the Writer’s Retreats what are you up to? We only run the B&B for writers retreats. The rest of the time I write, Shauna manages the retreat. And cooks. I think she's working on a cookbook.

I am sure you offer/serve some wonderful food at the B&B can you tell us what one of the favorite things on the menu is? Shauna loves making breakfast casseroles. She calls them stratas. She mixes all kinds of things together. I'm a fan of her brownies. They make me happy. Living with a chef want a be is really bad on my figure so I have to run. A lot.

I love horses and riding. Are you a rider? Do you have a favorite breed of horse?
I love to ask this question of horse people. I am especially partial to Paints and
Dunns. I love color! I'm not the horse person, Shauna is. But I think she grew up wanting a pony, now she has one with her new boyfriend. If I was mean, I'd say that's the only reason she's still dating Kevin. I'm not a big fan. I like to watch the horses out in the fields. We have a lot of appaloosas in the area. I think, Snow, Kevin's horse is a thoroughbred.

Is there a little tidbit about the retreats that you can share with the blog readers? What I love about the retreat is how everyone bonds over the writing. Writers are a strange bunch, me included, so when we say strange things in the general public, like I know exactly how to kill him, people shy away. With other writers, they get each other. As a writer myself, I've learned a bunch from my retreaters. Like ways to increase word count. Focus tricks. And how to step away from the book at times.

I know its probably been a long day for you so let’s close with one more Question. Just curious since I am about ready for my evening glass of wine.
What is your choice of a little evening treat? My choice? A plain, grocery store beer. :) I really like Michelob Ultra. It's not overpowering in taste. And it hits the spot.

Well I am certain that if given the chance I would be visiting you!
Thanks so much for stopping in to chat!

Thanks for having me over. I hope you come out to Aspen Hills soon!

Cat

And others are saying

While the story pulled me along without letting go and all was wrapped up pleasantly enough at the end, there are still enough possibilities left for adventure and surprises in a number of future books in this series. I eagerly await each of them.
~Laura’s Interests

WOW, just WOW! I have loved this series from the very start, but this book has blown the others out of the water!
~The Montana Bookaholic

I love the concept of this book – a writer’s retreat at a small B&B in a small town in Colorado. And with each retreat, it seems like someone is being murdered, stumbles across a crime or is involved with it somehow. Crazy, right?! But that seems to make this series even more interesting to me.
~Storeybook Reviews

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. . . This was a light, fun read and I recommend it.
~Valerie’s Musings

I love all the writer-y and bookish talk from Cat’s writer retreat and as usual, the mystery was well done and entertaining.
~I Wish I Lived In a Library

And I thought

What could be more fun and productive for a writer than a retreat at a B&B in beautiful Colorado?

But writers beware it seems that this little retreat is plagued with a criminal element.

In book 3 of the series Lynn Cahoon gives the reader a some twists and turns and a surprise ending.

I enjoyed the setting. A B&B with an attached horse farm in beautiful Colorado I couldn't ask for more.

I enjoyed the characters.

But I couldn't help feeling sorry for Shauna. I mean seriously

that dead boyfriend was really a creep and deserved what he got!

Poor girl.

And then there's Cat's baggage and the demise of her ex which all comes out and is revealed.

Although this installment was easy to grasp I think the reader would enjoy reading the series from the beginning. I'll be going back and picking up the first two when I have a chance.

As I turned the last page I was a bit sad to see the series end.

And I wonder if maybe Miss Calhoon might be persuaded to

give us a little more Cat and Shauna.

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.

This review will appear on retail sites where available.

This review will appear on Good Reads.

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