Niki

 

NIKKI BRYANT COZY MYSTERY SERIES SPOTLIGHT Tour Giveaway

New Releases

 

Bandstand Bloodshed

 by Mildred Abbott 

Cordelia Davis and Charlie Harris are getting married—a dream Cordelia had abandoned decades ago. A spring wedding at the gorgeous century-old bandstand in the center of Willow Lane’s historic park is the perfect culmination of a half-century journey. Even the softly falling pink crab apple petals seem to set the scene… until murder intrudes. 

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Hunting Gold

 by Ann Aptaker 

A golden city of prosperity, energy, the exciting engine of the American Dream. Just underneath, though, is a dark city, with darker ambitions. This is the world of Cantor Gold, dapper art thief and smuggler, who has her own way of securing the rewards of the American Dream. In the conformist 1950s, when same-sex romance was illegal, Cantor decides that any Law that condemns her as a criminal just for her love of women is not a Law she owes any allegiance to. 

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Caught Dead To Write

 by Lynn Cahoon (Cozy)

Cat Latimer found herauthor career and her love of writing in a paranormal academy series so when the writers retreat gets a group of all paranormal authors, she’s over the moon. However, a local professor is causing waves since she doesn’t think the retreat or the authors it hosts is literary enough to be sponsored by Covington College anymore. And she’d taken her complaints to the Dean of the English department. 

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Under A Broken Sky

 by Kris Calvin 

One year into her prized role as the youngest ethics investigator in California’s history, Emma suspects corruption in the state’s billion dollar expansion to train travel. That unwittingly puts her on a killer’s trail – a killer who will do anything to reach his illicit million dollar payday, including personally eliminating Emma Lawson as a threat.

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A Poisonous Page

 by Kit Crowe 

It’s summer festival time in Confection, Oregon, and that means a barrage of tourists making cash registers ring at Sweet Fiction Bookshop. But what should be bookseller Lexi’s most lucrative time of year turns disturbing when a member of the chamber of commerce suddenly dies of a heart attack. Not entirely unexpected—considering her family history—but it’s a different story when another chamber member dies just one week later…also, presumably, of natural causes. 

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Laid Out to Rest

 by J.C. Eaton 

If it wasn’t for a flamboyant, self-absorbed ghost occupying Katie Aubrey’s rental house, the thirtysomething former business tech turned charcuterie chef would be able to concentrate on her new sandwich shop and catering business. But as luck would have it, former food critic and septuagenarian Edith Ellory will not let go. Not until she convinces Katie to find out who killed her. 

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The Disinvited Guest

 by Carol Goodman

Lucy Harper still has traumatic memories and lingering health problems from the 2020 pandemic. So, when a new virus surfaces years later, she and her husband, Reed, seek refuge on his family’s private island off the coast of Maine. Ostensibly safely sequestered with their five closest friends and family, Lucy should feel at ease. So why does she feel the weight of the island’s dark history pushing down on the group? 

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Frozen Water

 by Kari Lee Harmon 

A Nor’easter is predicted in Coldwater Cove and storm chaser, Emma Ross, is desperate to improve warning times with her research so no one has to live through what she did. Armed with her equipment, she sets out to capture the storm but captures a group of men and girls crossing the frozen ice instead. When she tries to help, they shoot at her. Navy Seal Gunner Nash is on leave, choosing the cove for its lack of tourists in the harsh winter months as his destination. After three tours of duty, surviving conditions that would kill most, witnessing unspeakable acts and being betrayed by his comrade, he prefers to be alone. 

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Murder Under A British Moon

 by Abigail Keam 

Mona Moon travels to Merry Old England to visit Brynelleth, Robert Farley’s ancestral home, for the first time. Hoping to make a good impression, Mona finds she is rebuffed at every turn by Robert’s friends and even his servants. Events turn more sour as the staff quits after seeing ghosts, and a phantom keeps sabotaging repairs made to the manor. Despondent, Mona wants to return to the United States, but her trip is delayed when an American agent is discovered murdered at Brynelleth. 

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White Out 

 by Dana King 

While the Penns River police try to keep the lid on, the Allegheny Casino holds a poker tournament. One hundred players each put up $10,000 in cash. The winner walks away with all of it. In cash. The situation is fraught enough without the local cops having to answer every call as if it might be the start of a riot. 

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An Eyre of Mystery 

by G. Leeson 

When Gia accepts a job as a library archivist at a manor house in North Carolina, she has no idea what she’s in for. On day one, she finds herself outside her comfort zone when she accidentally travels through a magical portal to the world of Jane Eyre. She finds Edward Rochester imprisoned as he awaits his death sentence for killing his wife. But Gia has read the book, and she knows Edward is innocent of murder.

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Give Me Chills

 by Tara Lush 

After being humiliated in front of her entire hometown of Moose Knuckle, New Hampshire, Hadley Mortimer heads south to lick her wounds. All the way to the island of Devil’s Beach, Florida, where she’s opened her first business: Give Me Chills, an artisan ice cream truck. After a couple of weeks, she’s living the cream and has even met a gorgeous guy named Zander, who seems to appreciate more than her soft serve cones. 

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Peril at the Exposition

 by Nev March 

1893: Newlyweds Captain Jim Agnihotri and Diana Framji are settling into their new home in Boston, Massachusetts, having fled the strict social rules of British Bombay. It’s a different life than what they left behind, but theirs is no ordinary marriage: Jim, now a detective at the Dupree Agency, is teaching Diana the art of deduction he’s learned from his idol, Sherlock Holmes. 

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A Shot in the 80% Dark

 by Amber 

Felicity Koerber’s bean to bar chocolate shop thriving. Despite everything she’s been through with the murders she’s helped solve, Felicity is ready to take on new challenges. So when a local museum offers her a contract to create a chocolate replica of a gigantic sailing ship sculpture for a gala celebrating Galveston’s history, she jumps at the chance to combine chocolate-crafting with art. 

Available on Amazon

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A Brides Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman Great Escapes Book Tour

 July 11 – My Reading Journeys –

Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, returns in Dianne Freeman’s charming, lighthearted mystery series set in Victorian England, and finds her wedding day overshadowed by murder . . .

On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. Meanwhile, Frances’s mother has invited Mr. Bainbridge, and Frances fears the wedding may end up being newspaper-worthy for all the wrong reasons. 

On the day itself, Frances is relieved to note that Madeline’s father is not among the guests assembled at the church. The reason for his absence, however, turns out to be most unfortunate: Mr. Connor is found murdered in his home. More shocking still, Alonzo is caught at the scene, holding the murder weapon.

Powerful and ruthless, Connor appears to have amassed a wealth of enemies alongside his fortune. Frances and George agree to put their wedding trip on hold to try and clear Alonzo’s name. But there are secrets to sift through, not just in the Bainbridge and Connor families, but also in their own. And with a killer determined to evade discovery at any cost—even if it means taking another life—Frances’s first days as a newlywed will be perilous indeed . . . 

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And I thought 

A fun read.  I am glad I got to be introduced to this series.  

Even though I stepped on in at book 5 I quickly got up to speed with the characters. 

I don't normally read books set in historical time period but the cover and title drew me in. 

The storyline and characters kept me turning the pages! 

And now my wish list hast increased!  Adding the previous books to my list! 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Visit the tour 

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Chances by B.K. Stubblefield My Review with an Excerpt

 

About the book  

If he’s not careful, he’ll end up in the emotional doghouse and might not ever make it out…

For Haley Redmon, must love dogs is more than just a saying; it’s a way of life. She’d never want a romantic relationship with a man who didn’t get along with her animals. So, when her dog seems to approve of the handsome real estate broker she’s falling for, Haley’s thrilled. But then a new puppy joins her tribe and everything changes…

Austin Young wasn’t looking for romance when he came to Oak Creek, but he isn’t about to turn his back on it, either. And Haley is perfect…except for her insistence on adopting an intolerable, destructive puppy. With so many animals to care for, he can’t help but wonder if there’s even room in her life—or heart—for him…

Will a little hell-raiser of a puppy destroy the fragile bonds Haley and Austin have built? Or will this pair of opposites find a way to overcome their differences and take a real shot at happily ever after?

Read an excerpt 

“Thank you, ma’am,” a deep voice boomed.

A tower of a man in a ball cap and red and black checkered flannel shirt smiled as he held the door for Keira to exit.

“Thanks,” she beamed back. As he sauntered into the room, Keira glanced back at Haley with a silent O on her lips and eyebrows meeting her hairline.

Haley met her friend’s eyes and, holy kibbles in a bowl, she fought the impulse to give Keira a thumbs up. Yep, as the guy strode toward her desk with the confidence of a country star taking the stage, something about Austin Young slammed into her stomach, awakening a swarm of butterflies furiously fluttering against its walls.

“Austin Young. I’m here for the gift basket,” the man said. His voice so rich and warm it could slice through butter, but it brought her back to the reason for his visit.    

“Hi, I’m Haley Redmon,” she pushed to her feet, presenting her hand for a shake. When his fingers folded around hers, the butterflies went ballistic. “Thank you for supporting Barkville by bidding in our silent auction. You were the highest bidder.” She laughed, masking her unusual nervousness. “But, of course, you know that. Why else would you be here? Thank you for coming in so quickly, Mr. Young.” She caught herself babbling, but what else was she supposed to do when he held her hand longer than what seemed necessary.

“Please call me Austin. Mr. Young sounds so… old.” He released her hand on the pun and accepted the seat Haley offered him. She wondered about his age. Early to mid-thirties, she guessed as she walked to the filing cabinet, imaging his eyes on her back. Or her ass. Her cheeks heated at the thought. Why had she chosen to wear these clingy leggings today? Because the universe was going to send a man like Austin into her office when she looked like she’d just left the gym after an hour of power cycling. Jeez, thank you very much.

And I thought 

I enjoyed meeting Haley and Austin and visiting Oak Creek again. 

I venture to guess Chances was an easy book to write for the author. 

B.K. Stubblefield is a dog lover just like Haley the main character she introduces. 

For this reader Haley was instantly likeable.  I loved her passion for rescuing dogs. 

Austin on the other hand for me was a little bit boorish.  He meets Haley at a fundraiser for the non profit  she founded that rescues dogs. 

So he should have a clue to how important dogs especially those Haley brings into her family are in her life. 

Ultimately he ended up realizing he needed a  2nd Chance just like the dogs Haley rescues

 He does redeem himself in the end.

  No spoilers but the engagement scene toward the end was priceless. 

Their story is a fast paced.  Thier attraction is immediate. 

I enjoyed the way the author took the story from the present to the past (only) a few months and told the story of how they meet and became involved.  And then how a bit of drama caused them to reconsider thier relationship. 

There was a very nice Happy Ending for all.  Animals and humans. 

Chances is a book I would recommend even to my friends that only read Sweet Clean Romance. 

There are no bedroom scenes.  Just a little reference to. 

I received a complimentary copy from the author.  

Buy the book 

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Lies Threats Kidnappings by Sharon Michaels My Review

 

About the book 

Sometimes it is better leaving the past in the past…

The Paul Madison PI cozy mystery series continues…

A determined private investigator learns that even heroes aren’t perfect.

A compassionate Medical Examiner must watch as the past begins to destroy the present.

A vengeful crime boss systematically eliminates everyone who has wronged her.

A shadowy spirit guide always shows up in the nick of time.

A short read cozy filled with mystery, romance, and a touch of magic.

Paul Madison finds himself facing family secrets that have the power to change his life forever. An unwelcomed relative makes herself known, and he must deal with the repercussions. Paul and Kathleen continue to battle the elusive and cunning Delilah Rossi, who seems to be winning.

Paul Madison P.I. is Book 1 in the Paul Madison cozy mystery series

Lies Threats Kidnappings is Book 2

Set-Up Betrayal Murder is Book 3 (Coming July 2022)

**The Paul Madison short read series is also the prequel to the Oscar the Doxie Detective cozy mystery series. You can find the Oscar the Doxie Detective series on my Amazon Author Page.** 

And I thought 

What a fun page turner.  It was fun meeting Paul Madison again in book 2.  And even better to get a little more back story. 

A bit twisty and turning to keep the reader Happily turning the pages. 

It is not always easy to say a 2nd book is better than the 1st but Author Sharon Michaels brings a plot that definitely gets better each time. 

I am looking forward to book 3. 

I couldn't help but like the Good Guys.  And then those bad guys.  And bad girl.  They add to the story but I can't help help to  cheer for the Good guys. 

And good over evil. 

If you like a short read check out this series! 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

Buy the book 

Available on Amazon

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New Releases

 

Donut Disturb 

by Ellie Alexander 
Love is in bloom in Ashland, Oregon. The Shakespearean hamlet is bursting with fresh spring energy. Fragrant lilacs and the sweet aroma of vanilla cake fill the air as everyone in town gathers at Lithia Park for the celebration of the year—Thomas and Kerry’s wedding. 

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Gone But Not Furgotten 

by Cate Conte 

Maddie James has big plans for the summer season at JJ’s House of Purrs. But when her friend, master meditator and Tai Chi teacher Cass Hendricks, brings a potential animal hoarding situation to her attention, Maddie has to refocus her attention on the furry felines who may need a helping paw. 

Available on Amazon

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A Catered Doggie Wedding

 by Isis Crawford 
At A Little Taste of Heaven, Bernie and Libby Simmons cater all sorts of affairs, from book clubs to bridal showers and everything in between. So when their counterman, Googie, asks them to cater a doggie wedding for his girlfriend Jenni’s eight-month-old golden retrievers, they jump on the opportunity. The reception, which will also serve as a grand opening for Jennie’s new doggie daycare center, is no small affair. 

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Hint in the Hashtag 

by Kathi Daley 
it’s spring in Holiday Bay and new guests have arrived to enjoy the plentiful sunshine. Lonnie has begun construction of the four new cottages and decisions relating to color and design keep Abby hopping. Abby’s most recent manuscript has been turned in leaving time in her schedule to pitch in as a volunteer for the annual spring events and everything is as it should be with the exception of the disturbing emails Georgia has been receiving.

Available on Amazon

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A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder 

by Dianne Freeman 

On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. 

Available on Amazon 

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A Hint of Mischief 

by Daryl Wood Gerber 
Courtney has thrown a few fairy garden parties—for kids. But if a local socialite is willing to dip into her trust fund for an old sorority sister’s fortieth birthday bash, Courtney will be there with bells on. To make the job even more appealing, a

famous actress, Farrah Lawson, is flying in for the occasion, and there’s nothing like a celebrity cameo to raise a business’s profile.   

Available on Amazon 

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Five Belles Too Many

 by Debra H. Goldstein 

Sometimes Sarah’s mother, Maybelle, can be higher maintenance than her Siamese cat RahRah. Maybelle and her friend, Mr. George Rogers, have been chosen to be one of five couples competing for a small-town “perfect” wedding and dream honeymoon on a Southern Belles reality show—and guess who has to be chaperone. Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put up the crew and participants at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah’s nemesis Jane Clark. 

Available on Amazon

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With A Spirt of Vengeance 

by Lena Gregory (Cozy)

When the spirit of Ophelia Wilson turned to clairvoyant Cass Donovan for help, Cass was able to prove Ophelia’s innocence in the century-old murders of her family members—and solve a contemporary murder in the process. But Ophelia’s spirit has returned, this time angrily demanding that Cass expose the identity of whoever did kill her family. And then eerily, two descendants from the Wilson family tree are murdered, suggesting that Ophelia has the power to meddle in modern-day events to satisfy her rage.

Available on Amazon

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The Locked Room

 by Elly Griffiths (Traditional)

Three years after her mother’s death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage—before she lived there—with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cottage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk’s first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. 

Available on Amazon

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The Escrow Escape 

by CeeCee James (Cozy)

Stella’s routine is getting back to normal after her mother’s trip to Poland. But even the simplest things can lead to unexpected adventures. While researching a tax issue for a client at the courthouse, Stella picks up an abandoned book. A handwritten note falls out with an odd message: Where she goes there are no shoes. . . 

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Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary

 by Amy Lillard 

After Sissy’s rodeo cowboy boyfriend turns out to be more of a rodeo clown, she packs a bag; picks up her Yorkshire terrier Duke; and leaves Tulsa, Oklahoma, bound for her parents’ former hometown. There are still plenty of Yoders in Yoder, Kansas, including Sissy’s aunt Bethel, who owns the Sunflower Café but recently broke her leg. It’s a homecoming of sorts as Sissy arrives to help in the café and reunite with her pregnant cousin Lizzie. 

Available on Amazon 

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Waning Innocence 

by Tyora Moody (Traditional)

At first, law enforcement thinks the girl ran away with her boyfriend. When the boyfriend’s body is found, it becomes imperative to find the missing young woman. Evidence is pointing towards the woman not really being in danger but on the run after committing murder. Not sure what to believe, PI Serena Manchester is starting to wonder if she should have taken this case on at all. 

Available on Amazon

In July 

Wicked Schemes

 by Deb Pines (Traditional)

When a local online message-board post says, “A Murder is Announced,” all are welcome, on July 18, 2021, at 9:15 p.m. at Merrill Manor, Chautauqua is abuzz. Many show up expecting a harmless murder-mystery game. But then the lights go out. An intruder yells, “Stick ’em up.” Three shots are fired. And, by the door, lies . . . the body of the intruder, in costume. 

Available on Amazon

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Muddled Through 

by Barbara Ross (Cozy)

When Julia spots police cars in front of Lupine Design, she races over. Her sister Livvie works there as a potter. Livvie is unharmed but surrounded by smashed up pottery. The police find the owner Zoey Butterfield digging clay by a nearby bay, but she has no idea who would target her store. Zoey is a vocal advocate for turning four blocks of Main Street into a pedestrian mall on summer weekends. 

Available on Amazon

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Stark Raving Mod 

by Diane Vallere 

When Samantha Kidd places the winning bid on a mystery trunk from the estate of a sixties pop star, she’s over the moon—until she opens it and discovers more than mod fashions: top secret papers that suggest something more menacing than miniskirts. Repeated attempts to steal the trunk motivate Samantha to sell it—but not until after she’s removed the questionable items. 

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The Gallery of Beauties 

by Nina Wachsman 

Venice, 1612. Two very different women, a notorious courtesan and a Talmudic scholar, are brought together by an artist when they pose for a “Gallery of Beauties,” forming a relationship neither of them anticipated. Conflicted about her past, Belladonna finds herself drawn to Diana, the rabbi’s widowed daughter, and has ambitions for her future, but only if Diana will discard her origins and her traditions. 

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Big Bad 

by Kirsten Weiss 

Hi. I’m Alice, a thirty-something ex-bodyguard. I live to sleep in, but I rarely get the chance now that I’m living above my small-town’s dinner theater. Between self-absorbed actors slamming doors at all hours and the theater cat that won’t leave me alone. . . I swear he knows I’m allergic. Also, he led me straight to the corpse of the theater’s leading lady. Thanks, cat.

Available on Amazon 

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