Cat House by Mollie Hunt Great Escapes Book Tour

 November 1 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

About the book 

This Halloween, the cats are hiding, and the monsters don’t wear costumes.

Young men from the Portland-Seattle area are going missing. It’s just another sad headline to Lynley Cannon—until she starts her new cat sitting job for an enigmatic neighbor Darla, that is.

An off-limits room, a suspicious phone message involving drugs, and the sudden appearance of a missing man’s cat peaks Lynley’s interest, but how far can she go before her cat-like curiosity turns deadly?

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And I thought 

Had 2 thoughts . . .

1 Book 10.  How did I miss 1-9?  

2 Book 10 you say? Will I be lost? 

I guess not.  The tale had me turning the pages.   

A fun cozy read. 

As release day approached I was intrigued by the writer clever release on National Cat Day. 

I loved the charm that the main character Lynley exudes curiosity and a bit of savvy. 

Crazy Cat lady.  Well maybe or alot but the tips and references to fostering made this read more than just a clever mystery to solve.  

I enjoyed Cat House. 

Thanks Mollie Hint going on tour with Great Escapes and for introducing me to Lynley (I live her name btw) and her world. 

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Release Day A Deeper Love by Heidi Gray McGill

About the book 

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

The series 

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A Giveaway 

New Release A Deeper Love by Heid Gray McGill

 

About the book 

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Buy the book 

Available on Amazon

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A Parfait Crime by Maya Corrigan

 October 31 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW  

About the book

 A granddaughter-grandfather sleuthing duo take on a perplexing new case in the latest culinary cozy mystery, sure to appeal to fans of Diane Mott, Joanne Fluke, and Katherine Hall Page.

At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?

After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at their house to get to work—and enjoy Grandad’s five-ingredient parfaits—but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it’s revealed that Jane’s death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Grandad try to retrace her final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town—where they discover that Jane wasn’t the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler . . .

Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!

Buy the book –

 Kensington Paperback – Kensington E-Book – Amazon – B&N – Kobo 

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Cozy New Releases

 

Murder in a French Village 

by Merryn Allingham 

Jack is stunned to receive a call from his estranged mother, Sybil, asking him to drop everything and come to France. Together with Flora, his fellow sleuth, they pack their suitcases, dreaming of fragrant lavender fields and freshly baked pain au chocolat. It’s only when they arrive that they discover the shocking truth – Sybil’s friend was killed on a street in Paris, and she is desperate for their help. 

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Death by Theft 

by Abigail Keam 

Josiah is happy for her pals Lady Elsmere and Shaneika Mary Todd when broodmare Jean Harlow gives birth to a male foal sired by Comanche. The owners of both horses have high hopes the foal will become a stakes winner—maybe even win the Kentucky Derby. The foal has a broad chest, indicating significant lung capacity—important for winning races, but just like his daddy, the foal is ebony with a bad attitude.  

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Spoon to be Dead

 by Dana Mentink 

Trinidad Jones is starting the festive season with sugary confections and a heaping scoop of worry as her shake shop enters its first Oregon winter. With snow abound and tourists trickling through, she’ll do anything to keep her milkshake dreams afloat, even if it means catering a holiday steamboat party for some new arrivals in town.  

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From a Far and Lovely Country 

by Alexander McCall Smith 

Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are enjoying a nice meal out at a peri-peri restaurant when an American woman named Julia approaches seeking Mma Ramotswe’s help. Julia’s beloved late grandfather was Botswanan, and he instilled in her an abiding love of his homeland. Now, years after his passing, Julia has come to visit the land he had spoken of so often and to find her relatives. Unfortunately, her grandfather’s stories, while charming and entertaining, were somewhat light on detail; all Julia can remember are a few first names and some descriptions of his village. It’s not a lot to go on, but if anyone is well poised to help, it’s Mma Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier detective.  

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Dagger of Death at Honeychurch Hall

 by Hannah Dennison 

At last St Mary’s church is going to have its own vicar! Not only that, the gorgeous Reverend Pritchard is sixty, single… and in need of a wife. But when he spearheads a campaign to restore a derelict chapel – rumoured to be haunted by a German Luftwaffe pilot- in a far-flung corner of the Honeychurch estate, the Dowager Countess puts her foot down. But nobody quite understands why... 

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Candy Cane Killer

 by Katie Forrest writing as Mona Marple 

Welcome to Candy Cane Hollow, a charming town full of excitement and secrets. Join Holly as she tackles her biggest challenge yet – solving a high-profile mystery while planning her dream wedding. The arrival of Angel Albright, the superstar pop sensation, has set tongues wagging in the town. But beneath the glitz and glamour lies a darker truth – someone is threatening her life. As the gossip mill churns, Holly must use all her investigative skills to uncover the truth behind the threats and protect Angel from harm. 

Available on Amazon 

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Good Morning

 

Just a little short post to share a little about or new Journey. 

And the beautiful place we will call home. 

The Hill Country of Texas is beautiful. 

We have had wanted to call it home for years. 

We are Thankful God is has opened doors for us to experince this beauty. 

I hope you will come along for the ride. 

Happy Trails

Todays feature Forest Child by Heather Day Gilbert

 

About the book  

Viking warrior. Dauntless leader. Protective mother.Determined to rise above her rank as the illegitimate "forest child" of Eirik the Red, Freydis launches a second voyage to Vinland to solidify her power and to demand the respect she deserves. She will return home with enough plunder to force her brother, Leif, to sell her the family farm in Greenland.But nothing can prepare her for the horrors she must confront in Vinland...and nothing can stand in her way when her family is threatened.In her race to outrun the truths that might destroy her, Freydis ultimately collides with the only enemy she cannot silence—her own heart.Historically based on the Icelandic Sagas, Forest Child brings the memorable, conflicted persona of Freydis Eiriksdottir to life. This immersive tale is Book Two in the bestselling Vikings of the New World Saga.

And others are saying ...

In the second and final installment of her Vikings of the New World Saga, Gilbert focuses on Freydis, daughter of Eirik the Red, and the expedition she led with two Icelandic traders to Vinland (presumed to be an area near Newfoundland). Based primarily on the Saga of the Greenlanders, Gilbert deftly fleshes out Freydis’s story while remaining true to the bones of the historical record. Freydis is treacherous and deceitful, certainly not afraid to goad her devoted, albeit flawed, husband into putting her opponents to death. However, the fictionalized elements produce a protagonist motivated by maternal protectiveness and a desire for righteous punishment—her brutality justified, and her fearless determination respectable. Her brother Leif and best friend, Gudrid, are Christians; Freydis’s conversion comes later in this story. Ultimately, they must balance Viking laws and traditions against their adopted Christianity and its monotheistic tenets of truth and forgiveness. A glossary is provided, but Gilbert skillfully limits her use of Norse vocabulary to enhance the experience without bogging down the reader. Gilbert crafts an engaging story depicting timeless human struggles with faith, love, loyalty, and leadership.   

USA today Review

Warrior Extraordinaire

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2016

I met Freydis Eiriksdottir in the intriguing book God's Daughter. Meeting Freydis is akin to trying to harness a wildcat and studying its actions and intent. She is free and wild, a forceful Viking warrior, a fierce, protective mother, and a faithful, though troubled wife. She is a huntress, striking out each day to procure meat for her family and the people under her protection. The forest is her natural habitat, her friend, the place she feels most protected, but also vulnerable. Freydis wakes up each morning knowing her prowess as a huntress means survival for those she loves and feels responsible for----it's a daily struggle, but, one she meets with determination and skill. She also must fight evil in its most wicked form---the formidable Valdis, a pagan holy woman and her entourage of beautiful, beguiling women who seek to capture and destroy men's souls, and even, disturbingly, their bodies. Freydis, a new Christian among heathens, strips herself down to her most basic nature, and in agony and torturous, emotional pain, destroys the ugly, evil Valdis in a most barbarous act. This is only one side of Freydis. You must read her story to follow her journey from Vinland, to Iceland and Greenland, and experience her growth as a warrior, wife, and mother. I have loved getting to know this great lady. 

An Amazon review  

Avaialable on Amazon

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Sieve and Let Die by Victoria Hamilto Great Escapes Book Tour

 Character Guest Post

Why I’m a Pharmacist & Other Things About Me

  Valetta Nibley

By: Victoria Hamilton

Pharmacy school was challenging. While I was good at math and science in highschool, none of it prepared me for pharmacy college. It was a grueling four years, then there was a residency after when I worked under a licensed pharmacist for two more years. I believe every bit of that training is necessary, because, as I always say, a pharmacist holds our client/patients’ lives in our hands.

After that, I knew what I wanted to do, and I did it. I am now co-owner of the Queensville Pharmacy inside of the Queensville Emporium. A lot has changed over the years I’ve worked here, but one thing has never changed, and that’s my absolute love of being a pharmacist.

Why?

I understand the question. There’s no glamour in being a pharmacist. It’s a good living and if you like people, it’s rewarding. But try that as an opener at a party – hey, I’m a pharmacist and I love my job, want to talk? – and you’ll likely get yawns.

And then there is the whole ‘pill pusher’ stereotype. People think doctors and pharmacists want to medicate America. Maybe some do, but most just want to alleviate suffering or discomfort. To that end not every pharmacist has a great ‘bedside’ manner, but every single one I’ve ever met is meticulous in distributing the prescriptions for which we are responsible.

Ultimately, my job is interesting and I help people. I suppose it satisfies some need I have to be of service to my community. 

But being a pharmacist is not all there is to me. I volunteer at the food bank, and other charities. I love vintage kitsch and have filled my home with cutesy stuff that I will definitely have to cut back on! I love my cat, Denver. He’s the king of the house.

I’m also a sister and an aunt. My brother, Brock, is annoying at times, but at heart he is a good man trying to be a better man. And his kids, my nephew and niece Will and Eva, are my life. But also, I’m a friend, especially to Jaymie.

Jaymie Leighton Müller: I don’t think she realizes what a huge part she plays in my life. When Becca (her sister) told me about her 

having a baby, I was over the moon, and from that moment on I have watched every step Jaymie has taken as if she were my own sister.

Helping her is important to me. When she recently came to me after a near tragedy and asked my help, I couldn’t refuse. Especially since she was only in a fix because she had been trying to help me after a patient accused me of tampering with her medication.

Ah, see, now we’re back to my job as a pharmacist, and how careful I am, and how dedicated. I would never do anything to harm anyone. Sadly, I couldn’t convince one particular person of that truth.

But we’ll get through it, Jaymie and me. We’ll figure it out.

Signed, Valetta Nibley, PharmD

*Read about Jaymie and Valetta’s adventure in Sieve and Let Die! 

This post is part of the Great Escapes Book Tour 

Sieve and Let Die by Victoria Hamilton My Review Great Esvapes BookcTour

 October 23 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

About the book 

In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of A Calculated Whisk, Jaymie’s not sure who to believe when every suspect’s alibi has as many holes as a sieve . . .

Vintage cookware collector Jaymie Müller is stunned when an irate woman accuses her pharmacist friend Val of tampering with her prescription. When more unfounded accusations follow, it seems clear the woman has a personal grudge against Val. But before they can figure out why, Jaymie and Val stumble upon the woman’s dead body on the steps of Val’s pharmacy. Given her altercations with the woman and the location of the body, the police naturally suspect Val.

Jaymie has heard rumors that the victim had become forgetful and erratic, but could that explain her death? And why was Val being framed as her murderer? Determined to find the clues that connect the woman’s strange behavior to her death, Jaymie begins questioning the people in her life—and soon suspects that the culprit is among them. But she’ll have to be careful about who she confronts, because while solving murders is hard work, there’s a killer on the loose who finds committing them all too easy . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

My review . . . 

Is o.k. to say one of my favorite parts is the recipe?   

I live this series. 

The titles are great with a play on words. 

And then there are the covers!

I suspect it is filled with clues!

I really enjoy this series after my introduction in the previous book. 

I just love Jaymie even though she keeps stumbling into bodies or murders to solve she still loves her quiet little town. 

She can't seem to Not investigate especially when those close to her become suspects.  

The Vintage Kitchen theme is interesting to me.  It is easy to say this is one of my favorite series.  

Each book so far has been ver well plotted.  

I look forward to the next. 

Buy the book 

 Purchase Links Digital – Amazon U.S. – Amazon Canada Barnes & Noble Kobo Smashwords

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Cozy New Releases

 

Dead by Design

 by Kat Bellemore 

Maddie Swallows had always thought of her hometown as unremarkable, until space tourism set up shop nearby. Now, real estate developers have set their sights on the small town, determined to have a piece of the lucrative pie. Too bad the residents of Amor want nothing to do with the fancy hotels and high-priced restaurants, and they are ready to fight back.  

The series 

Available on Amazon 

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Dating Can Be Deadly 

by Amanda Flower 

It’s August in Holmes County, and that means it’s time for the Holmes County Fair. It’s the county’s biggest annual event, drawing tourists and locals alike to see livestock, eat too much fried food, and watch the rodeo and speed racing contests. This year, Millie has entered the quilting competition—while her very not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is distracted by her new dating app and her search for husband number five. In a place where quilting is a way of life, the competition is fierce—especially this year, when an anonymous donor doubles the winning cash prize.   

The Series

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Book 15 of series

Lost & Hound 

by Rita Mae Brown 

Early fall in Virginia means shorter days, cooler temperatures, the blooming milkweeds of summer giving way to fields of fluffy seeds—and of course, the start of fox hunting season. It’s “Sister” Jane Arnold’s favorite time of year. And this year, the Jefferson Hunt Club is busier than ever, organizing a fundraising drive to help with the upkeep of their beloved hunting grounds. 

The series

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A Medium Gift

 by Lynn Cahoon 

In A Medium Gift, the fourth and final episode of Eddie Cayce’s return home to New Orleans, Eddie’s dealing with her murderous aunt along with trying to finish up Uncle Arthur’s love nest before Nic finds out due to a stray thought Eddie forgets to control. And there’s the Clayborne Estate to finish, not to mention figuring out all the college entrance hoops with Lilac.   

The series

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Book 17 of series

The Twelve Books of Christmas 

by Kate Carlisle 

In the middle of a wonderful Christmas holiday in Dharma, Brooklyn and Derek receive a frantic phone call from their dear friend Claire in Loch Ness, Scotland. The laird of the castle, Cameron MacKinnon, has just proposed to her! They plan to be married on New Year’s Day, and they want Derek and Brooklyn to be their witnesses. And while they’re visiting, Claire hopes that Brooklyn will be able to solve a little mystery that’s occurred in the castle library—twelve very rare, very important books have gone missing.  

The series

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Book 9 of series

A Parfait Crime

 by Maya Corrigan 

At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice? 

The series

Available on Amazon 

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Murder Uncorked 

by Maddie Day 

As the manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar in Colinas, Cecelia “Cece” Barton’s first Alexander Valley harvest is a whirlwind of activity. Her twin sister, Allie Halstead, who owns a nearby Victorian bed & breakfast, is accustomed to the hustle and bustle of peak tourist season. But Cece barely has a moment to enjoy her new home in between worrying about her estranged college-age daughter, juggling her responsibilities at the bar, and navigating the sticky politics of the local wine association. Just when it seems things can’t grow any more intense, Colinas is rocked by a murder within the wine community . . . and Cece is identified as a possible suspect!  

Available on Amazon 

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Snow Place for Murder

 by Diane Kelly 

International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.  

The series 

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The Fatal Folio

 by Elizabeth Penney 

After moving to Cambridge, England, Molly Kimball has found a lot to love, including—of course—her family’s ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe—Manuscripts and Folios. And though she’s not quite ready to use the “L” word when it comes to her boyfriend Kieran, she’s definitely fallen for his intimidating family’s library. 

Available on Amazon 

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Book 9 of series

Cruising Into Danger 

by Kari Lee Townsend 

The cruise starts out with so much potential until a fellow passenger is found dead at sea. Murder on the Palace of the Seas forces the captain to put the ship on lockdown so the killer can’t escape while the investigation ensues. Detectives Mitch Stone and Nik Stevens offer their services, while Sunny and Kalli team up and use their gifts to do a little investigating of the clairvoyant kind.   

The series

Available on Amazon 

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Tulle Death Do Us Part

 by Diane Vallere 

When the historic Waverly House is transformed into a wedding venue, the town buzzes with excitement. An out-of-town couple with the loosest of local ties has adopted them as their own. But amidst the celebration, tragedy strikes when a guest is found dead in the chapel before the wedding march plays. Suspicion quickly falls on the bride. Poly’s ex-boyfriend, the groom-to-be, needles Poly for help in solving the murder, but things take a complicated turn as the bride points the finger–at him. 

The series

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Cover and links not available yet. 

Link to authors site click Here

Day Of  The Wed 

by Laura Durham 

Society wedding planner Annabelle Archer and her team are in Mexico to celebrate assistant Kate’s bachelorette weekend, which means there are no brides to worry about and no drama. Except for the elaborate skeleton brides for the Day of the Dead celebrations and the fact that Annabelle’s best friend, Richard, and hairstylist to the bottle blondes, Fern, are drama magnets. At least they won’t have to deal with dead bodies—or will they? 

The series

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Her Secret Protector My Review Great Escapes Book Tour

 October 20 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

About the book 

To find her attacker

…he must stay in the shadows.

Assigned to protect sea turtle biologist Peyton Bradley from a dangerous stalker, former SEAL Gray Wallace is determined to save his headstrong charg­e—even if she doesn’t want to be saved. Their attraction is powerful. But damning rumors around the handsome bodyguard’s past get him fired. Only when Peyton is kidnapped and loses her memory does Gray reveal his startling—possibly deadly—secret.   

From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.

Feel the excitement in these uplifting romances, part of the SOS Agency series:

Book 1: Navy SEAL Seduction

Book 2: Shielded by the Cowboy SEAL

Book 3: Navy SEAL Protector

Book 4: Her Secret Protector

My review

Actually my favorite Genre. 

I love the suspense. 

I love the wee bit of romance. 

I love the Seal Protector.  This one with secrets.

And I love the reluctant female lead. 

Negatives for me.  Only a little.  

I am not so into the stalkers types.  Kind of energizer bunny.  

But I loved this story.  These are the lind I can read in a few hours if I get the time.  

The kind you can't put down.

 I found a new author and new series thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours. 

Buy the book 

Barnes and Noble Amazon Kindle Amazon Print Apple Harper Collins UK Kobo Google

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Excerpt Book Spotlight New Releases A Corpse at the Witching Hour by Debra Sennefelder

 

Read an excerpt . . .

“We talked about all the upgrades and improvements I want to make to the house. She’s fully on board. Speaking of Aunt Issy”—Drew clasped his hands together— “since the girls are spending Halloween with their mom . . .”

Hope’s shoulders sagged at the reminder that her plans had blown up. She’d been looking forward to taking Ethan’s daughters, Becca and Molly, trick-or-treating. She also had a container of beef stew in the refrigerator waiting to be reheated and served from a pumpkin-shaped tureen before they all ventured out in the dark, chilly night to go door to door in the neighborhood and then on Main Street. But Ethan’s ex-wife, who was now out of rehab, had other plans, and they included Becca and Molly.

“I’m wondering if you’d like to help me hand out candy at Osbon House? Aunt Issy hasn’t been feeling well this week, and this morning her doctor put her on bed rest for a few days. How about it? Are you in?” He pressed his palms together and gave her a pleading look. “I could use the help.”

“Hmm . . . handing out candy on Halloween in a haunted house?” A smile stretched across Hope’s face at the prospect, even though she didn’t believe in ghosts. It would be fun scaring the bejeebers out of the little trick-or-treaters. “Heck, yeah, I’m in!”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He clapped his hands in victory. “My mom is going to a séance—”

“Your mother? A séance?” Hope wasn’t sure if she had heard correctly.

“I’m not even asking her why. Heaven help the ghost who gets summoned. Anyway, my cousins have plans so they can’t pitch in. We’ll be going nonstop once the sun sets.”

Hope didn’t doubt that claim. Since moving out of Fenn House, Issy’s home for decades had been a stately Victorian set at the edge of Main Street. Its spooky reputation stemmed from a murder-suicide a century ago. Each decade, the tale grew bigger and drew curiosity seekers hoping for a paranormal encounter, especially on H

alloween.

A Corpse at the Witching Hour by Debra Sennefelder

 

A Corpse at the Witching Hour, a Food Blogger Mystery

Hope Early has to contend with ghosts, a fatal curse, and a decades-old family secret to catch a killer in the new Food Blogger Mystery . . .

When her best friend’s Aunt Issy falls ill, food blogger Hope Early agrees to help him hand out Halloween candy at his aunt’s house, which is rumored to be cursed. A murder-suicide took place there a century ago, and legend has it that a woman has died there every twenty years since—on Halloween. Hope doesn’t really believe in curses or ghosts, but when all the trick-or-treaters are gone and she discovers a woman’s dead body on the front lawn, she wonders if the curse might be real after all.

Then Hope and her friend discover a cache of love letters linking the dead woman to Aunt Issy’s husband years ago, and Hope is certain they’ve uncovered the motive for murder—and the police are certain Aunt Issy is their main suspect. Determined to prove Issy’s innocence and nab the real culprit, Hope starts shaking other branches of the family tree. But she forgets that Halloween isn’t the only day people hide behind masks, and if she’s not careful, Hope will come face-to-face with a ghoulish fiend who’s not afraid to kill again . . .

Recipes included! 

Available on Amazon 

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Brush Up On Murder by Sybil Johnson Great Escapes Book Tour

 October 9 – My Reading Journeys – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Interview with Author 

MY READING JOURNEYS INTERVIEW

 

September.  I  am glad to be in the 'ber' months.  I am waiting for cooler weather are you? 

I don’t much like hot weather. I’m more a fan of moderate, which is why I live near the beach. It’s not usually horrendously hot here, though it has been known to reach 100 on a rare occasion. Not fun when you don’t have air conditioning!

What is your favorite drink on a hot day when you’re parched? 

A cold glass of lemonade or Diet Coke. 

I am so glad you are touring with Great Escapes again.  With several tours behind you now what is your favorite part of the tour?  

Connecting with readers. I like doing interviews like this one.

 Are you a daily writer with a plan and agenda? Tell us about a typical day.

I typically write 5 days a week, M-F. I only work on the weekends if I have a deadline coming up or I feel a scene wanting to come out of my brain. I’m not a morning person so I don’t start writing until around 10 a.m. Between then and the time I get up around 7:30, I read the paper, read email, work on website work and do some puzzles to get my brain going.

Favorite snack while your working on that word count.  

I try not to snack because I can go overboard with that. When I do, it’s something like popcorn.

What is your favorite part of writing? 

Coming up with the initial idea and plotting the general direction the story is going. That also includes coming up with the new characters. I’m a plantser so I do some outlining, but not an extensive amount before I start writing.

If you could take your character anywhere in the world where would you go? 

A cruise would be interesting. I think Rory would enjoy that.   

I never ask if an author has a favorite character but is there a sub character in your casts that is just waitin' for a chance at a lead? 

I feel like Liz, Rory’s BFF, is waiting for her own story. Or Detective Green.

What about villains.  Have there been any that kinda tugged at your heart strings and you hated making he or she the bad guy?    

I don’t want to give away the names of specific characters in case someone hasn’t read a book yet but, in general, I do like writing murderers who are just ordinary people that find themselves in a situation where they felt the need to kill someone. Some of those characters tug at my heart strings.

Let's talk about your covers . . .

Do you have a favorite? 

I love all of my covers, but I think the Halloween one for Designed For Haunting is my favorite, with the Christmas cover of Ghosts of Painting Past a close second. The one for Paint the Town Dead always makes me want to go to the beach.

The current one seems to have a few clues.  Finding a clue or two on your covers is that normal? 

It depends on the story. I don’t like to give too much away in the covers, but there are usually elements of the story in the cover.

You have just written 'The End" what do you do to celebrate? 

Go out to dinner and/or take a couple days off from writing. I don’t go out to eat much so that’s a treat.

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