Limoncello yellow by Traci Andrighetti-Book Review

About the book 

2015 Daphne du Maurier Award Finalist
2015 Mystery & Mayhem Award Finalist

Francesca “Franki” Amato is a tough-talking rookie cop in Austin, Texas—until an unfortunate 911 call involving her boyfriend Vince and a German female wrestler convinces her once and for all that she just isn't cut out for a life on the police force. So Franki makes the snap decision to move to New Orleans to work at her friend Veronica’s detective agency, Private Chicks, Inc. But Franki’s hopes for a more stable life are soon dashed when Private Chicks is hired by the prime suspect in a murder case to find out what really happened to a beautiful young boutique manager who was found strangled to death with a cheap yellow scarf. When she’s not investigating, Franki is hoping to seduce handsome bank executive Bradley Hartmann, but most of her time is spent dodging date offers from a string of “good Italian boys”—make that not-so-good aging Italian men—that her meddlesome Sicilian grandma has recruited as marriage candidates. As Mardi Gras approaches and the mystery of the murdered shop girl gets more complicated, Franki must decipher the odd ramblings of a voodoo priestess to solve both the murder and the mystery of her own love life.

And I thought 

Book 1 of the Franki Amato series is a page turner that will keep you guessing to the end.  

I enjoyed my introduction to Franki and her funny and quirky friends, neighbors and co-workers.  

I met Franki when I read and reviewed book 3 Galliano Gold a few months ago.  Click here to read my review. 

I really, really enjoyed Galliano Gold. 

Once I got into Limoncello yellow I liked it just as much.

But the beginning I thought was a bit over the top with Franki getting beaten up by a female wrestler.  Not only does she get beaten up she rips her pants and well TMI in my opinion. 

Once Franki moves to NOLO things are just as chaotic as her landlady the ex-stripper is introduced.  She still dresses like she is on stage.  But I guess maybe that isn't so outlandish since they are in NOLO. 

As Franki and her 'bestie' Veronica get involved in investigating a murder things become a bit complicated and there is no shortage of suspects. 

Franki jumps head first into P.I. work which she is learning is much different than police work. 

All the while she is being 'wined and dined' well all least the suitors try to 'wine and dine' but Franki is having nothing to do with the beau's that her Sicilian Nonna is lining up for her. 

Her eyes are only on Bradley that ends up being maybe not such a great guy.  But I won't spill the beans for you.   

Limoncello yellow is a page turning, fast paced Cozy Mystery that will have you laughing and wanting more.  

I enjoyed each of the books I've read in this series.  

I received a complimentary Audible copy from the author. 

My copy was part of the boxed 3 book set. 

My review(s) will appear on retail sites, Good reads and promoted on social media. 

Buy the book 

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The series

Click here to visit the authors site and get more info. on each book.

Three Widows and a Corpse by Debra Sennefelder-Great Escapes Tour-Review/Character Interview/Giveaway

About the book

Food blogger Hope Early finds one item not on her scavenger hunt list—a dead husband . . .

Between developing her food blog, Hope at Home, and choosing low-cal recipes for a feature in Cooking Now! magazine, Hope has a full plate. Still, she’s never too busy to compete in a Jefferson, Connecticut, tradition—the town’s annual scavenger hunt.

But as she races with her team to check off the next item, Hope discovers a grisly surprise—the body of shady real estate developer Lionel Whitcomb, shot in a parking lot. His wife Elaine, who’s also in the hunt, gasps and nearly faints. But two other women on the scene cry out that their husband is dead.

It turns out this louse of a spouse was more than a little lax in legally divorcing his former wives. Did one of them put a bullet in the bigamist? Number one suspect and number three wife Elaine begs Hope to investigate. Now Hope is on a new kind of hunt—for a cold-hearted killer and triple widow-maker . . .

And others are saying 

Wonderful characters, a great setting, and a story I can’t tear myself away from. I was bummed when I had finished it. My hands are already itching to get ahold of the next book!
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Debra Sennefelder has done it again, her small town has a big heart and a bigger murder problem!
~A Wytch’s Book Review Blog

 

A great addition to a fantastic cozy series . . . a thrilling culinary-themed cozy that makes for a great read.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

This is a great traditional cozy with a small town, amateur sleuth, likable and some quirky characters and lots of food . . . This is one that I recommend to cozy mystery lovers.
~Carla Loves to Read

Three Widows and a Corpse is the perfect story for those readers who enjoy lighthearted, food-related mysteries . . . an amiable cozy mystery with a troublesome two-timer, warring widows, a scavenger search, a sad sibling, and a repressive reporter.
~The Avid Reader

Emotionally charged and full of shady connections, this is a book about moving forward and dealing with life’s difficult situations head-on . . . You may want to read this book while waiting for a few of the delicious recipes included to bake up.
~Laura’s Interests

Three Widows and a Corpse by Debra Sennefelder is getting five stars. It is a fun, witty read with great characters and outstanding food.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

I liked Hope. I found her to be a strong, intelligent, and capable woman, but still believable.
~The Book’s the Thing

The pace is steady and the intersections of characters across settings and how Hope is able to connect the dots is well done. . . Those who enjoy cozy mysteries will not be disappointed – and you get recipes besides the killer!
~Christa Reads and Writes

Debra Sennefelder gives readers a strong mystery in Three Widows and a Corpse. Great characters with perfect amounts of family life, romance, and humor. I was entertaining from beginning to end and can’t wait for my next visit Jefferson, Connecticut.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

The mystery is well-maintained throughout the book. The red herrings are sure to direct the readers on a wrong path.  The characters are well portrayed and likable.
~The Book Decoder

An interview with Hope

I am so excited to get a chance to talk. I have never met a Food blogger! How exciting that must be!

I love food blogging. There are days when it’s very exciting, like when I attend conferences or when I’m at an event representing a brand I love using. Then there are days when it’s not so exciting. Those are usually the long days of cooking, photographing, editing and finding that the internet is down. I’m left scrambling to get a Wi-Fi signal.

And look at these cookies! So sweet of you bake!

Thank you. Since my first attempt baking when I was a kid were cookies, I have a fondness and weakness for them.

I cannot imagine doing all the cooking and taking photo’s and all.

It’s a lot of work producing content several times a week for my blog. In addition, there’s the social media part as sell as the promoting and the outreach to brands. But I love what I do. As long as I have my trusty planner beside me at all times, I’m able to juggle all the tasks that need to get done.

Can you tell us how you became a Food Blogger?

It started as a hobby while I was working as the editor of a cooking magazine back in New York City. I wanted to have somewhere that I shared my love for cooking, baking and entertaining. At the time I didn’t think I’d ever be a full-time blogger, but life has a way of throwing you curve balls. There was a point in my life where I had to decide whether to continue on the career path I had been on since graduating college or make a major change and move back to Jefferson. I went the major change route and decided since I was turning my life upside down why not give myself a year to see if I could make it as a blogger. So far, so good. Sure, it had been scary but I’m so happy now and I can’t imagine going back to the life I had in the city.

Do you have help producing your blog?

I have recently hired a part-time assistant to help with administrative work but I’m mostly a one-woman show.

You have to love food since you blog about it. So what’s your guilty pleasure?

Anything chocolate.

I am glad to visit with you the weekend. Sundays are always a great day to relax. How do you spend a lazy Sunday afternoon?

I love Sundays. Being self-employed and owning an old home, I rarely have lazy Sundays. And I’m good with that because I love to cook and bake. It’s my job but it’s also a stress reliever for me. Since we’re into fall, I love cooking comfort food for my family. So, a perfect Sunday is having my home filled with family, my boyfriend Ethan, my friends and then after eating we settle in the family room to watch a movie.

I love riding horses. Do you have any pets?

My sister and I took riding lessons when we were kids. One day I’d love to have a horse. Right now, I have a dog, Bigelow, and a cat, Princess. I also have chickens.

Thank you for inviting me in for the Scavenger Hunt I am sure it will be exciting. Hopefully no corpses will be found.

Our annual scavenger hunt usually goes on without any hitches but I guess there’s a first time for everything and certainly this year’s hunt will not be forgotten.

I cannot believe that it seems everywhere you turn you run into a murder that needs to be investigated! But you seem to have a talent at sleuthing!

It’s no secret I love a good mystery but I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I’d be involved in real-life murders. And never in my beloved hometown. But I guess it doesn’t matter what your zip code is, there’s evil out there in the world. I’m not sure I have a talent; I think I’ve just been curious and lucky.

How do the local guys (P.D.) feel about your solving the crimes the are working on?

They’re not very pleased when I insert myself into official police business. One more than one occasion Detective Sam Reid has threatened to arrest me for interring in his investigation. I can see his point of view but the times I have inserted myself into his cases is when I really needed to help someone I care about.

Is there anyone friends or relatives that help you when your sleuthing?

I do. I have my best friend, Drew Adams. We grew up together. After college he returned to Jefferson to work at the local newspaper. I also have a dear friend, Jane Merrifield. Back in the day she wrote mystery novels but retired to raise her family. The both of them are wonderful sounding boards when I’m trying to work something out and they’re also great assets when it comes to digging up information.

You seem to be so good at investigating. Do you think that you’ll end up making another career change?

I never say never but if I do have another career change in the future, I don’t think it’ll be to investigate crimes.

Oh my look at the clock. I cannot believe I have kept you so long and you have such a tight schedule!
Thanks so much for chatting a bit. Best of Luck with that Scavenger Hunt.

It’s been my pleasure. I’ve truly enjoyed chatting with you today.

And I thought
I have loved each of the books that I have had the opportunity to read in this short series. 
It's not too late to get into the fun as Three Widows and a Corpse is book 3. 
The characters are fun and funny.  There's a bit of romance trailing through the series. 
And the food.  I enjoy reading about the food.  I can almost picture Hope on Food Network. 
It takes all Hopes growing sleuthing expertise to put it all together and solve the mystery.  

If you love a good Cozy Mystery check out the series and Three Widows and a Corpse.  

Three Widows and a Corpse and the Food Blogger Series is on my suggestions for 
Christmas 2019.  

I received a complimentary copy. 
My review will appear on retail sites, and Good Reads.  The book and the tour will be promoted 
on social media. 


Buy the book

                                                

                                   Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

Visit the tour

Giveaway

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The Last Thing She Said-I Read Book Tour-Review/Giveaway

About the book 

“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.

For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!

And I thought 

Check this one out.  You'll be turning the pages at a fast tempo as you ride along with the Geezer Squad to figure out this new mystery.  That's actually not 'new' per se because it is a cold case. 

The Last Thing She Said begins with the prologue when Chris the main character is just a child.  Lauren Carr gives us insight into his mom Doris as a young mother and lover of books.   We even get a glimpse of Robin Spencer (from The Mac Faraday series).  

Fast forward to present day and Chris and the Geezers begin to investigate when Chris is bescheed by his mom's best friend to find out who killed her 1st husband.  The only thing is no one knew she even had a first husband.  

The plot/storyline is filled with twists and turns and lots and lots of our favorite characters from the other series.  Chris and his girlfriend Helen end up stepping into Mac Faraday's world as they head to Spencer when they realize that Mac's wife Archie has found letters in Robin Spencer's files that end up solving the mystery. 

The Last Thing She Said is filled with wit and humor and dogs, horses and a rabbit that wears 'Pink'.  The human characters are smart, savvy and funny.  

If you love a good mystery that will keep you turning the pages you'll love this one!  

You'll get love and romance with the bedroom door closed.

You'll get mystery suspense without any blood and guts and graphic scenes. 

And you'll get a Fabulous read. 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on retail sites and Good Reads. 

The Last Thing She Said will be promoted on social media and featured on My Journey Back-The Journey Back.

Buy the book 

Amazon.com 

Visit the tour

Click here to read more reviews.

Giveaway

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Suspect In High Heels-Great Escapes Tour-Review/Giveaway

About the book

When Maddie Springer—shoe designer turned amateur sleuth—tags along with her mother to the Antiques Extravaganza road show, the last thing she expects to have to do is pull her mom off of a celebrity appraiser after he calls her prized antique hatpin a phony. But things go from harried to homicide when the same appraiser is found dead just moments later—killed by Mom’s hatpin!

Now not even Maddie’s husband, LAPD Detective Jack Ramirez, can save Mom as the force’s two most bumbling detectives are assigned to the case. As if Maddie doesn’t have enough on her plate, her best friends, Dana and Marco, enlist her help to plan the most over-the-top Hollywood surprise party ever for Dana’s fiancé (who has a little surprise of his own up his sleeve), Maddie’s adorable twin toddlers are always up to no good, and the only thing that can calm her fashion-challenged and suddenly-a-suspect mom down are aura cleansing from her favorite Venice Beach psychic, Mrs. Rosenblatt. Whether they help or hurt, Maddie’s friends assist her in wading through a slew of murder suspects—none of whom are telling the truth and all of whom have ample motive to want the appraiser dead. Was it the frigid business partner with questionable ethics? The clown-collecting fan-turned-stalker? The auction house owner with a grudge? Or was the appraiser’s real business something much more sinister than his TV personality let on…and much more deadly?

Maddie and her eccentric gang of unlikely sleuths are under the gun to find out before the real killer strikes again…and Mom takes the fall!

And I thought
Too good to put down! Good thing I picked this one up on a long weeekend!

I cannot believe that I have not discovered this series before now. 

For me and I hope for author Gemma Holiday that is what makes book tours and promo's important.  I am so glad this book is touring with Great Escapes. Honestly I am not sure I would have found it otherwise and I am glad did.

Except that Suspect In High Heels is book 10 in the series and now I want to read all the rest! 

Hello Santa.

If your like me and just discovering Maddie Springer  you will have no trouble getting into the with characters.
Which to me speaks of a well crafted plot and great characters that are well developed.

Suspect In High Heels was fun and funny and kept me turning the pages.  From Maddie's mom Betty that ends up being the suspect (BTW way in her 80's fashion she would not be caught dead in culottes) to her friend Mrs. Rosenblatt that yells at stumble bum police detectives and calls them out for arresting Betty.
Maddies best friend between jobs actress (not unemployed)  Dana is 'Johnny on the spot' to help ferret out clues and has some experience since since she once played a police detective that was studying to be a lawyer.  And thankfully she was there to keep the stumble bum detectives in line when they searched Betty's car.
As Maddie and Dana investigate and chat it up with suspects behind the scenes Dana is planning a end all birthday party for her fiance. 
And in the end the murder is discovered and the Birthday ends up being the event of the season.  

I absolutely adored (if it is possible to adore a mystery) this book and the characters. 

My TBR pile just got bigger by 9.

Gemma Holiday Thank you  for promoting  Suspect In High Heels through Great Escapes Tours.

I received a complimentary copy. 
My review will appear on retail sites, Good Reads and promoted on social media.  


The rest of the series

The High Heels Mysteries:
#1 Spying in High Heels
#2 Killer in High Heels
#3 Undercover in High Heels
#3.5 Christmas in High Heels (short story)
#4 Alibi in High Heels
#5 Mayhem in High Heels
#5.5 Honeymoon in High Heels (novella)
#5.75 Sweetheart in High Heels (short story)
#6 Fearless in High Heels
#7 Danger in High Heels
#8 Homicide in High Heels
#9 Deadly in High Heels
#10 Suspect in High Heels
#11 Peril in High Heels – coming soon!

Buy the book

Amazon – B&N – Apple 

Visit the tour

To read more reviews and interviews click here. 

Giveaway

Miss Demeanor, P.I. Series Silver Dagger Tours-Feat Book 1 P.I. I Love You-Review/Giveaway

About the book 
Rivers don’t let rocks hold them back. River Nightingale has decided to blow past the rocky men in her life.

She’s played by the rules for too long—especially when it came to her career as a cop. She was the top closer of cases for years, but promotions in her small town cop shop went to her less productive male counterparts. River decides it’s time to change careers. She leaves her small town to purchase a Seattle private detective agency and become her own boss.

Homicide Detective Gage Hamlin takes pride in his job; he closes cases and fosters justice. All that changed the day River Nightingale sauntered into his office. River has him questioning his pride, his cases, and his aversion to private detectives, especially beautiful private detectives.

River’s client thinks Gage got it wrong, and River is forced to prove Gage missed a murder. Will River and Gage find a way to play nice, or will River be forced to leave Gage behind?

Read an excerpt

River walked into the precinct on Fourth Street. The building buzzed with activity. She wondered why people weren’t falling over one another, given how fast they moved. Yes, she knew cop shops—she’d spent her last ten years living in one, but the little cop shop in Bear Creek, Montana was only slightly larger than this lunchroom she peeked into as she passed by. When she asked for directions to the detectives’ bullpen, the sergeant at the front desk looked her up and down, rolled his eyes, then pointed behind him and went back to a pile of paperwork.
She walked slowly by each door, reading the nameplates as she passed, until she came to the door of Homicide Detective Gage Hamlin. The office walls were glass giving her a clear view of the man sitting at his desk studying his computer. His disheveled coffee-colored hair brushed the collar of his button-down royal blue shirt. When he looked over the top of his computer screen, his sapphire-colored eyes locked on hers. River smiled and gave a cursory knock on the half-opened door.
“Detective Hamlin?” River asked.
“Yeah, last time I checked. Do we have an appointment?” Detective Hamlin asked as he grabbed his phone, and scrolled through, looking for an answer.
“No. No appointment. However, if you’re not too busy, I wonder if we could chat for a few minutes?”
Detective Hamlin smiled, rose to his feet, walked around his desk, and pulled the door open wider. He gestured for her to enter.
“Sure, I have a few minutes. How can I help you, Miss—?” He grabbed the pile of files and loose papers out of the closest chair and dumped them into the next one over.
“My name is River Nightingale. I’m a private investigator, and I’ve been hired by the Baxter family to check into their parents’ deaths.”
River watched as his sparkling eyes and dazzling smile faded from his chiseled features. This reaction would take her a while to get used to. Cops respected other cops, but they had no regard for private detectives. She had firsthand knowledge. Even the cops in her little shop in Bear Creek used to treat them like they were week-old gum stuck to the bottom of their shoes. It irritated her then and it pissed her off now. Although she wasn’t going to give Detective Hamlin the satisfaction of knowing how she felt.
“I see,” Detective Hamlin said, tight-lipped. “I’ve no idea why they would hire you. I worked the case and closed it.”
“That’s the point, Detective Hamlin. The Baxters don’t agree with your conclusion and asked me to review your findings.”
“Now wait one damn minute. Despite how many open cases are assigned to me, I’m a professional. My work is careful and thorough. On what grounds do they find my work inadequate? And you—you don’t even know what kind of hoops I have to jump through. You’re just another ambulance chaser, a clueless private dick.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, nevertheless I do know what kind of hoops you jump through. I recently left my position as an officer.”
“What? Couldn’t handle the hard work?” He scoffed.
“I thrive on hard work. I worked hard for ten years and closed more cases than all my colleagues combined. What I do have a problem with is being passed over for promotions while some yahoo, with half the closed cases and experience, gets the job. And why? Merely because he has a dick and I don’t.”
He made a grunting sound, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest. River stared at him, daring him to make his next nasty comment.
“The case is officially mine, meaning anything you do, anything you discover, you tell me.” He popped forward in his chair and started to punch the keys on his keyboard. “Do you want a paper copy, or should I email it to you?” he asked.
She’d let his statement slide for now. They both knew it wasn’t true. She didn’t need to keep him informed. Even so, no sense ruffling his overly irritated ego.
“My client supplied a paper copy. I would appreciate an electronic one, please.” She pulled a business card from her purse and handed it to him.
“Miss Demeanor Private Investigators.” Hamlin read out loud. “So, you purchased the old agency.”
“That’s correct. Along with three friends, who are all experienced policewomen.”
“I’ve never heard your name, and I know most of the cops in the city by face, if not name.”
“I’m not from here.”
“Huh.” He grunted as he studied her.
River quietly withstood his scrutiny. She knew exactly what this jerk was trying to do. He wanted to make her uncomfortable, test her, try to make her fidget or feel insecure. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“I’m heading over to impound right now. Nothing against your report, it’s thorough enough. All the same, I’m a hands-on type of person. I find I work better when I’m able to investigate things firsthand and reach my own conclusions. I’ll get out of your hair now. I just wanted to stop by, introduce myself, and give you a heads-up about the Baxters hiring me to work their case.”
Hamlin simply stared at her. The look on his face—priceless. She couldn’t help herself.
Forget not wanting to push his buttons. This man needed a little ruffling. River wanted to smile or stick out her tongue at him. She held her composure. The last thing she needed was to piss him off more. Like he said, the case was technically still his, closed or open, and if she wanted any chance of solving it successfully, it would be easier to have him on her side. She needed to win him over. No better time to start than the present. Her insides cringed and she bit her bottom lip to keep from groaning.
“However, if you’re free for a bit, I’d appreciate your insight,” she said as she rose from the chair.
“I can’t spare you much, but I’ll take you over to impound,” he grumbled.

And I thought 
A page turner. This fast paced suspenseful romance has been having me turning the pages at break neck speed.  

I am so enjoyed this book. It was just a fun read with some sweet romance.  No language no bedroom scenes and not alot of violence.  Only one chase scene that leave River the main character a little banged up.  But just enough to give Gage the incentive to step over the line and declare his love for the P.I. 

The characters are fun and like a able. I love River and her fellow P.I.'s  The 4 female ex-cops open a P.I. firm and hire a quirky reception.  The banter with the P.I.'s is entertaining. 

River is taking center stage in this one as she investigates a possible murder.  And at the same time she has been hired by the victims children to look for a lost sibling.
I am enjoying every moment of this one.  
I hope you'll come back for the complete review. 

I can't wait to open up the next one.  Will we see more of River 
and Gage's growing romance.  Or will another of the P.I's take center stage?

I received a complimentary copy. 
My review will appear on retail sites, Good Reads and promoted on social media. 
Buy the book 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo

Visit the tour

To read more reviews and excerpts visit the tour.  Click here. 

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey-Guest Post-Great Escapes Tour

Apple Cider? I’m Obsessed.

By Julie Anne Lindsey

A lot of things went into the making of my new Cider Shop Mysteries series. For starters, a deep, resounding love for the people of Northern West Virginia, the dialect, the history, the jaw-dropping scenery, and apples. Lots and lots of apples.

I could say my apple obsession originated during my many weekend trips and summer vacations to Wetzel County, West Virginia. My Dad grew up there, and much of his family still lived there. So we became regulars around the dinner table on Saturday and Sunday, extras for the front lawn horseshoe tournament Friday night and more often than not, spent our long lazy afternoons running wild through the hills on a set of ATVs. It was on one of those lost-in-the-wilderness rides that I discovered an abandoned and overgrown orchard. I was fascinated. I’d never seen real, juicy, edible apples outside a grocery store. Only the nasty crab apples that fell from trees near my house in town. I was astounded by the colors, sizes, shapes and flavors. My mother’s go-to choices at the Kroger ended with Red Delicious and Granny Smith. Once I’d discovered just how different the fruit could taste, everything in my apple-loving mind had new questions!

I get residual butterflies just recalling the adolescent thrill!

If various apples tasted different from the vine, then how would they taste in my favorite apple-based treats? Pies and crisps? And dumplings and cider. I found a crock pot cider recipe in an old cookbook from my mother’s childhood and I knew what I had to do. I used bungee cords to secure one of her laundry baskets to my ATV and headed back to the overgrown, bee-managed orchard to collect as many apples as I could. I hauled the apples home and followed the recipe while my mother fussed about her filthy, cracked up laundry basket, then I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Turns out that making cider in a crockpot really is a slow business. And it took some straining to filter the cloves and bits of oranges and the cinnamon sticks, but in the end? Worth. It.

I was the hit of the neighborhood when I came home to Ohio after that visit. Dad helped me harvest as many of the abandoned orchard’s apples as the bees would allow, then we loaded the station wagon and went home for a week of cider making. I liked to serve it hot then, though now I also enjoy it cold. I played with the toppings, added caramel sauce and a wedge of apple or slice of orange. Sometimes a cinnamon stick for stirring. And Voila! My lifelong love of apple cider was off and running.

Fast forward about two decades, and it finally occurred to me that maybe writing about a woman from northern West Virginia who loved cider like I do would be fun. So I did. And I love it! Now, I get to play make-believe every day, living my best fictional life on a real, operational, West Virginia orchard. I’ve learned so much more about apples than that little girl standing in front of the abandoned orchard would ever have imagined. And I get to dream up all the adventure I can to go with it!

If you’re in the mood for a trip the Blue Ridge Mountains, want to spend some time on my orchard or just enjoy the adventures of one apple-loving woman and her granny, I hope you’ll give APPLE CIDER SLAYING a try.

Do you have a favorite kind of apple? Or way to serve it?

About Julie

Julie Anne Lindsey is an award-winning and national bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than twenty-five novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under multiple pen names, for Harlequin, Kensington, Sourcebooks and Crooked Lane Books. When she's not writing the stories that keep her up at night, Julie stays busy in Ohio with her extremely patient husband and three amazing kids. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world. Learn more about Julie and her books at www.julieannelindsey.com

To read reviews, more guest posts, recipe posts and interviews click here. 

Christmas Cupcakes and A Caper by D.E. Haggerty-Review

About the book 

It’s all candy cane cupcakes and peppermint coffee until you find a dead elf on your doorstep.

Only the elf wasn’t a real elf, because elves don’t actually exist – not even at Christmas time. A college student dressed like an elf decided taking a nap in sub-zero winter temps was a good idea. It wasn’t. Anna, the pink-haired baker extraordinaire of Callie’s Cakes, is convinced the student’s death was not an accident. She drags Callie and Kristie along with her as she attempts to discover who killed the elf … um… student.

Will the gals of Callie’s Cakes find the killer before Christmas is ruined?

Cupcakes not included, although you’ll find recipes for all the delicious Christmas cupcakes Anna baked.

And I thought
I couldn't wait to get to the end.  All that cupcake talk has mean wanting to bake.  And the recipes sound so good.
The reading was good!  I enjoyed this story.  I enjoyed the manicharacters they were silly, savy, and just plain like-a-able.
Although I did have a hard time keeping the girls straight and the boyfriends too.  
So I figured out Callie is the college professor.  Anna is her business partner and co-owner of the cupcake shop.  And there is Kristie who works at the bakery but has ties to an urban youth center. 
The girls have hunky I can't keep straight boyfriends either.  A police detective, a fireman and a gang force cop who are all a step away anytime there is an emergency at the bakery.  
As the girls begin to dig for clues it doesn't take them long to find a few suspects.  
There are some twists and turns and a bit of a shocker at the end 
D. E. Haggerty has a new fan of this fun cozy series.

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