Cozy Food by Various Authors Great Escapes Tour-Review/Recipe Post

About the book

y mystery writers get together to do a cookbook? You get more than 220 recipes that are as varied and interesting as an amateur sleuth’s day job.

Regional recipes come from every part of the United States and England — a couple find their way from Australia and Italy, too — and from diverse times. There are recipes from people looking to keep gluten out of their lives, eat vegetarian, or make a treat or two for their furry four-legged friends. And yes, there are recipes that appeal to the sweet tooth, lots of them, in fact.

There’s no mystery about what happens when cozy writers get together. They bring the wit, inventiveness, and adventure found in their books right along with their recipes.

The recipes are introduced by their authors and linked to the writer bios in the back of the book.
You can look up your favorite cozy writer and see which recipes are their favorites; they’ll tell you what the recipe means to them. Or you can enjoy a dish and then link to the recipe’s author’s biography and books.

Either way you enjoy the cookbook, you’re sure to find great new recipes to make and terrific new cozy authors to read.

Contributing authors
Sparkle Abbey, Ellery Adams, (aka J. B. Stanley, Jennifer Stanley) Judy Alter, Marian Allen, Ritter Ames, Donna Andrews, Traci Andrighetti, Amy Beth Arkawy, Mignon F. Ballard, Sandra Balzo, JoAnn Bassett, Cynthia Baxter, (aka Cynthia Blair) Jenna Bennett, (aka Jennie Bentley) Sally Berneathy, (aka Sally Carleen, Sally Steward, Sara Garrett) Maggie Bishop, Cindy Blackburn, Juliet Blackwell, Susan Furlong Bollinger, Sheila Webster Boneham, Laura Bradford, Frances Brody, Duffy Brown, Joyce Ann Brown, Mollie Bryan, B.B. Cantwell, Laurie Cass, (aka Laura Alden) Nancy J. Cohen, Shelley Costa, Judith Cutler, Rebecca (aka R.P.) Dahlke, Kathi Daley, Kathleen Delaney, Diana Dempsey, Pamela Frost Dennis, Lesley A. Diehl, Leighann Dobbs, Vicki Doudera, Pamela DuMond, Carola Dunn, Jean Erhardt, Chloe Evans, Monica Ferris, (aka Margaret Frazer, Mary Monica Pulver, Mary Kuhfeld) Judy Fitzwater, Chris Forman, Kaye George, Sally Goldenbaum, Barbara Graham, Sarah Graves, Carolyn Haines, (aka R.B. Chesterton) Vinnie Hansen, Traci Hilton, Sibel Hodge, Valerie Horowitz, Mary Ellen Hughes, Linda Joffe Hull, Ellen Elizabeth Hunter, Dawn Greenfield Ireland, Melanie Jackson, Holly Jacobs, Miranda James, (aka Dean James) Nancy Lynn Jarvis, Heather Justesen, Pamela Kelley, E.E. Kennedy, Mary Kennedy, Josi S. Kilpack, Kelly Klepfer, (aka Michelle Griep, Ellie Marks) Barbara Lee Cool, Marilyn Levinson, Liz Lipperman, Gail Lukasik, Elaine Macko, Sylvia Massara, Sonja Massie, (aka G.A. McKevett) Edith Maxwell, (aka Tace Baker) Lorena McCourtney, Marja McGraw, Eileen Haavik McIntire, Staci McLaughlin, Catriona McPherson, Camille Minichino, (aka Margaret Grace, Ada Madison) Marie Moore, Ruth Moose, Amy Myers, Tamar Myers, Christa Nardi, Radine Trees Nehring, Kerri Nelson, Clare O’Donohue, Diana Orgain, Joyce Oroz, Elaine L. Orr, Helen Osterman, Gail Oust, K.B. Owen, Sharon Pape, Nancy J. Parra, (aka Nancy J. Coco) Allison Cesario Paton, Joanne Pence, Maggie Pill, Ann Purser, Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, (aka Melissa Bourbon) Nanci Rathbun, Rosalee Richland, Becky Lyn Rickman, Karen Robbins, Carolyn J. Rose, Pamela Rose, Cindy Sample, June Shaw, Connie Shelton, Clea Simon, Joanna Campbell Slan, Karen Rose Smith, Lane Stone, Maria Grazia Swan, Denise Swanson, Marcia Talley, Nancy Jill Thames, Sharon Burch Toner, Elaine Viets, Lea Wait, Wendy Lyn Watson, (aka Annie Knox) Christine Wenger, Gayle Wigglesworth, Lois Winston, Joan H. Young, Suzanne Young

And others are saying 

You can look up your favorite cozy writer and see which recipes are their favorites; they’ll tell you what the recipe means to them. Or you can enjoy a dish and then link to the recipe’s author’s biography and books.
~Lauras Interests

A totally wonderful book, suitable (in print version especially) for your kitchen or living room libraries. (I plan to purchase a print copy.)
~Here’s How It Happened

128 cozy mystery writers have come together and are sharing some of their favorite recipes possibly found right out of their books. Wow!
~Reading Authors

I love how it’s arranged into types of food like a classic recipe book but you also get the book info. I discovered some new-to-me authors and series that I’ve added to my TBR.
~Brooke Blogs

From “Sydney Marsh’s Oh-SO-Easy Killer Coleslaw” to “Cate’s Quick Mexican Lunch” to “Neanderthal Mammoth Jerky” (yeah, I gotta read that cozy!). 200+ recipes from 128 cozy authors, along with tidbits on their stories make this a juicy must-have for cozy readers.
~I Read What You Write

This cookbook is a wonderful compilation of recipes, cozy mystery authors, and their cozy mystery characters. I am excited to try out some of these yummy recipes.
~Sapphyria’s Books

And I thought

What a fun cookbook.  I am a cookbook lover.  So of course I 
signed up to read and review this one.  And I love cozy mysteries especially the ones that include recipes at the end! 
Much to my disappointment many of the Cozy's that I have run across are about Bakeries and Bakers so most of the recipes are dessert.  
No gasping!  Don't get me wrong.  I love Chocolate.  I love cake.  
But I don't have much time to bake. 
Cozy Food gave me what I have time to do.  Dinner.  There are desserts, cakes and cookies and someday maybe I will get a chance to try some of them.  
I did try a Gumbo recipe from the cook book and it was the best homemade Gumbo we've ever had.
As my usual M.O.  I had to make a couple minor changes 'cuz I am ingredient disfunctual.  But even with my minor changes it was Fabulous. 

I loved reading all the recipes and being introduced to some new to me books and authors.  

If you love cooking and Cozy Mysteries you'll have to put this one on your TBR or your Santa Please list! 

I received a complimentary copy. 
My review will appear on retail sites and Good Reads. 
Cozy Food will be promoted on social media and featured in a future post at My Journey Back-The Journey Back blog. 

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To read more reviews, interviews click here

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Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela-Great Escapes Tour-Review/Giveaway

About the book 

Everything’s coming up roses for Professor Emmeline Prather. Her scholarly book is finished, spring term is coming to a close, and her love life is blossoming. Then the festival surrounding the exhibit of Shakespeare’s First Folio opens, bringing with it a tempest more dramatic than the bard’s.

In his panel presentation, actor and grad student Tanner Sparks contends Shakespeare isn’t Shakespeare, boasting that he can prove the long-debated theory that an aristocrat actually penned the sonnets and plays. His bombshell sets off an acrid debate among scholars. But were they upset enough to kill him? That’s what Em wonders when Tanner is found dead in Shakespeare’s Garden, his macabre pose inspired by a scene from Hamlet.

At her department head’s urging, Em sets out to find the killer. Suspects abound, and Em finds herself targeted by Shakespeare-themed threats. Undaunted, she persists, determined to solve the case before the end of the semester.

And others are saying 

With clean yet intriguing content about controversy and secret lives, this book appeals to mystery lovers of many types and levels. Characters we enjoy and want to know better populate this series.
~Laura’s Interests

Filled with Shakespeare facts along with the literary twists we have come to expect this makes for a fun read full of all types of characters to both love and hate. Perfect for fans of cozies.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

And I thought 

I have enjoyed each of the books I have read by Mary Angela
and Coming Up Murder is really no exception.   I have to admit that books that are centered around acadamia are not my first choice by this author tends to lure you in and you want to read everything she offers.  
There are some great characters, lots of twists and turns that makes for a great cozy.  

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

Buy the book

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 Indie Bound    Kobo

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

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Divorce Is Murder by Elka Ray-Goddess Fish Promo Tour-Review

About the book 

As teens, they bullied her. Twenty years on, she's not scared of them. Except she should be...

After returning to her quiet hometown to care for her ailing mom, divorce lawyer Toby Wong is hired by Josh Barton, a guy who broke her heart as a teen at summer camp. Now a wealthy entrepreneur, Josh wants to divorce Tonya, the mean girl who tormented Toby all those years ago. When Tonya is found murdered, Josh is the prime suspect. 
Together with her fortune-teller mom and her pregnant best friend, Toby sets out to clear Josh, whom she still has a guilty crush on. As she delves deeper into Tonya's murder, Toby keeps running into catty ex-campers she'd rather forget. Are her old insecurities making her paranoid? Only too late does she realize she's in danger. 

The first entry in an addictive new series, Divorce is Murder introduces fans of mystery and romance to an irresistibly smart and sarcastic new heroine - Chinese Canadian divorce lawyer Toby Wong. 

And I thought 

Fast paced.  A very fast read for me.  Divorce Is Murder kept me interested and turning the pages. 

I enjoyed the characters.  Toby is hard to describe.  She must be a very good lawyer.  She's a very good friend and cares about people.  But she is really, really insecure and can't get past all the drama from one summer at camp.  

The flashbacks and all the references to summer camp became a bit daunting to me.  

I enjoyed the mystery part of the story. 

I enjoyed the ending. 

I was left wondering how this series continues on since this first

books plot centered so much on the group of characters teenage years. 

I'll give this series a whirl when the next book is released and see how it goes from there.  

My review is part of the Goddess Fish Promo Tour there are lots

more reviews on the tour.  Scroll down for a link. 

I received a complimentary copy.  

My review will appear on Good Reads and Amazon

Buy the book 

Amazon

Visit the tour

There are lots more reviews on this tour.  Click here to read more reviews. 

Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela-Great Escapes Tour

About the book 

Everything’s coming up roses for Professor Emmeline Prather. Her scholarly book is finished, spring term is coming to a close, and her love life is blossoming. Then the festival surrounding the exhibit of Shakespeare’s First Folio opens, bringing with it a tempest more dramatic than the bard’s.

In his panel presentation, actor and grad student Tanner Sparks contends Shakespeare isn’t Shakespeare, boasting that he can prove the long-debated theory that an aristocrat actually penned the sonnets and plays. His bombshell sets off an acrid debate among scholars. But were they upset enough to kill him? That’s what Em wonders when Tanner is found dead in Shakespeare’s Garden, his macabre pose inspired by a scene from Hamlet.

At her department head’s urging, Em sets out to find the killer. Suspects abound, and Em finds herself targeted by Shakespeare-themed threats. Undaunted, she persists, determined to solve the case before the end of the semester.

And others are saying

With clean yet intriguing content about controversy and secret lives, this book appeals to mystery lovers of many types and levels. Characters we enjoy and want to know better populate this series.
~Laura’s Interests

Filled with Shakespeare facts along with the literary twists we have come to expect this makes for a fun read full of all types of characters to both love and hate. Perfect for fans of cozies.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Buy the book 

Amazon     Barnes and Noble      Indie Bound    Kobo

Visit the tour

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The Wipeout Affair by Rachel Neuberger Reynolds- Great Escapes Tour-Character Post/Giveaway

About the book 

There’s trouble in paradise, in the hilarious second book of the Red Frog Beach Mystery Series.

Ready to go back to the beach?

Lexie Milano left her heart in Bocas del Toro, and the new and improved New Yorker makes the big choice to move to the laid-back Caribbean island permanently. Piña coladas, white sand beaches, and a little cabin of her own on the edge of the rainforest complete her picture of the perfect tropical future awaiting her. But if it looks too good to be true, it usually is. . . .

When the body of a beautiful wealthy local is found at an isolated surf camp, the owner calls on Lexie to help him figure out who did it in this delicious whodunit. Reluctant sleuth Lexie first turns to the police, but her sudden access to a treasure-trove of island secrets convinces her it’s time to solve another murder on her own.

Favorite characters from Drowning Lessons return to grace the pages of this comedic mystery, including Migs, the handsome photographer; Lloyd, the genius with the cryptic past; and Lexie’s new best friend, Detective LaGuardia. Between old friends, new associates, and the added potential of shark attacks, The Wipeout Affair will leave you laughing and guessing until the very end.

This is the second in the series but can be read as a stand alone novel.

Character guest post

MEET CRAZY DAISY

So I was talking to this woman who came to my nightclub on Friday

Night. She was prob too drunk to be dancing, so I took her up to VIP room #3. She’d been dumped one day into their three-week visit to Bocas del Toro. Men. I’m telling you. She asked if she could stay at my house for the night, and I had to say, “No, way, babe.” She began to cry. Whatevs. I kind of move around at this point, since my long-term-love-of-my-life mugged me off for no apparent reason. Men. Especially men on an island full of girls in bikinis drinking Dueling Dragons.

She said that a friend of hers recommended journaling. How’s what going to help? “Write it down,” she said. “You’ll figure out that you’re exactly where you are supposed to be.” When she left, she almost rolled down the stairs, so I gave her $20 and led her to the hostel next to my club, The End of the World. My personal philosophy is that I only care about the fun my partiers are having that night; the next morning is their own business. I’m not one to peel a twenty off my roll, but her broken heart smashed into mine so courtesy… See, I’m generous. I’m not all bad.

Write it down? The only writing I’d done in the last year was on orders for more booze and temporary tattoos. Paper straws and toilet paper. I could hardly read my name anymore. Daisy Dali. Thanks, Mom. My nickname on the island is Crazy Daisy. No one thinks I know, but that’s ten pounds of stupid. I know everything that goes on this island. Besides, I’m blessed with the power of ears…

Ok, true love and this journal, which is actually napkins, and I can hardly read what on cloud cuckoo I’m writing. Ah well. It felt to get it right.

True love. Isn’t there a saying, “If you love someone, set them free and then they come back?” Something like that. I had it. I lost it. I’m getting it back.

I’ll keep this quick as crackers. Hywel. Beautiful Hywel. He’s sex on wheels. No. As he owns a surf camp, I guess you’d say sex on a surfboard. Doesn’t have the same ring. Super tall, blue eyes, and chill as a frozen margarita. Like, we didn’t make sense, and that’s why we made sense. Two years, three months, and six days. Not that I’m counting. But he loved me. He said he loved me.

So ten weeks ago we’re laying out at Red Frog Beach. My hair was periwinkle for the summer. He hung out there all the time on his day off. Half-way through, he says, “I can’t do this anymore.” I sat there shocked as Sally, and before I could turn around and say, “What on god’s green earth are you talking about?” he had run halfway down the beach.

Not cool.

There’s someone else. I know there is. I’ll admit it, I may have threatened half the ladies on the island to tell me what they know. I do kung-fu, you know. But what do you know? You’re a pile of napkins.

He wouldn’t talk to me at all. He’d run if he saw me. If I showed up at his surf camp, he’d grab a board and paddle out until I left.

The drunk girl last night said that she had ten commandments of a relationship, and started rambling them off. Snoozaroo. I quickly faded to thoughts of what my ten commandments.

They came to this:

1. Don’t lie to me.
2. You can run, but you can’t hide.
3. Though shall stay away from my man.

The other seven are, I guess you would say, variations on a theme.

Two years means something. Two years deserves a conversation. Two years deserves the truth.

I’ll find out who this new lady is. Just watch me.

That’s true love. I’ll wait.

And others are saying about book 1 in the series

This series is one that I will be watching.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

This story is much more than a cozy mystery. It is a dramedy where literally everything that can go wrong does. Twists, turns, craziness, and good old mayhem fill these pages all on an idyllic chain of islands . . . This was a fun book to read and a great start for this series.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Drowning Lessons is filled with humor from beginning to end, not to mention several twists along the way. It’s the perfect beach read.
~Socrates’ Book Reviews

Great debut for this new series: a compelling plot, a spectacular setting, and bizarre characters, nothing is missing.
~LibriAmoriMiei

Buy the book 

Amazon – Kindle

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

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Turkey Basted to Death by Jodi Rath- Great escapes Tour-Spotlight Post

About the book

Thanksgiving is here, and Jolie Tucker has had quite the year! She is ready to sit back and relax with family and friends. But this is Leavensport, OH—so get ready for intense therapy sessions, dysfunctional family holiday gatherings, uninvited guests, and an inner-city teen advocate found DEAD—stabbed in the ear with the turkey baster!

Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

Buy the book

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The ID Paradox by Jan Notzon-Cozy Mystery Review Crew Tour

All information about this book is from the authors website

About the book 

After disastrous experiences as a lawyer and then as a teacher, Jake Kazmareck tries to hide out from the world in a job picking melons on a farm in the wilds of south Texas.

An estranged friend, Connors, tracks him down with news that their mutual bosom buddy, Artie, is not dead as they both believed, but rotting in a Mexican prison. The stage is set for Artie’s rescue.

Jake, Connors and Artie’s friendship was forged years earlier, during an almost fatal canoe trip in which only Artie’s genius for survival kept them alive. That brush with death unleashed a primitive beast in Jake that has never stopped plaguing him.

The prison rescue is successful, but Artie’s experiences in captivity have destroyed his spirit. Jake and Connors immediately enlist the help of psychiatrist Judith Neuwirth to try to piece together Artie’s shattered self.

In the process, Jake is again confronted by the beast in himself. Will he learn to accommodate it, or will it destroy him?

And others are saying 

"Brilliant. An intelligent, thought provoking book. The plot and characters are fantastic. This is a gripping read, powerful and at times very sad. I was sorry when it came to an end. Another amazing book from Jan. Highly Recommended."

​

"This compelling story is a must read! Interesting characters caught up in an incredible, dangerous adventure. I couldn't put the book down!"

​

"Fabulous book!!! Kept my attention throughout."

​

"Written in a poetic way with a flawless description of the scenery and activities as they occur, the book can easily hold the readers’ attention in an addictive way by making you to feel at home with the thought process of the main character. The Id Paradox is packed with suspense, emotion and actions to keep one entertained and flipping through the pages till the very last!"

Read an excerpt

There are excerpts and more info on the authors site.  

Click here for a direct link to read an excerpt. 

Thought

A page turning adventurous suspense full ride that I am still 

on. 

I am enjoying every moment so far. 

ID Paradox was a great suspenseful read. The characters
were interesting.  The plot keeps you interested and turning the pages to the end.  

The cover spoke adventure to me.  And adventure is what we get along with a plot/story line that is interesting and intriguing. 

There are some great reviews on Amazon you can check out the reviews below at the buy the book click on the Amazon link. 

I received a complimentary copy from Cozy Mytery Review Crew. 

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