Friday, October 26, 2018

Dear Abby - Halloween with Dogs and Retro Fun - Lots of Links!

Dear friends,

Boo!  Are you ready for Halloween?   I am as ready as I can get, which means I will certainly be in the bedroom listening to happy music during all the noise of trick-or-treaters.

I wanted to share some Halloween links with you.  Some are my old Halloween posts, and others are retro themed posts by my Momma.  I hope you enjoy them!

A few of my Halloween posts:

Dear Abby - Pets in Halloween Costumes

Dear Abby - Calling All Girls (Retro Halloween Magazine Covers) 

Dear Abby - Vintage Halloween Dogs 

Retro Halloween fun:

Vintage Halloween on Pinterest

Did You Know:  Trick or Treat

Halloween Costumes With Plastic Masks 

Did You Know:  Candy Corn

13 Great Halloween Songs That Aren't "Thriller" or "Monster Mash"

Do you have special Halloween plans?   If you have pets, do they dress up for the holiday?  What do they think of trick-or-treaters?   I've love to hear from you in the comments, below!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo
 

Book Review - Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd

Book Synopsis
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry–the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust–who in her life is false or true, brass or gold–and what is meant to be treasured.


 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble


My Review
Lady of a Thousand Treasures begins in 1866 England.  Eleanor Sheffield is an antiques appraiser and evaluator.  She has been in business with her father, who is deceased, and her uncle, who is in the early stages of dementia.  She is juggling her work and her strong feelings toward her former beau, Harry Lydney, when she is asked to evaluate the collection of Harry's late father and decide on its disposition.  

This is such a unique and engrossing book!  It has several really interesting facets.   Most of all I loved reading about Eleanor's work evaluating antiquities.   There were so many fascinating details about the glassware and antique pieces featured in this novel.  A mystery begins involving some missing and forged antiquities and I found that really compelling too.

A good example of the type of details found in this novel:  "I was delighted when I learned that monarchs, on coins, always face in the opposite direction from their predecessor.  It started, my father taught me, when Charles the Second wanted to turn his back on Cromwell -- and so he did, on a coin, for all to see" (p. 43).

The social issues raised by this novel, including women seeking to be recognized in professional positions and the plight of women in prison, were very thought provoking.  The historical notes at the end of the book were interesting.  I had no idea that Lady Charlotte Schreiber, antiquities evaluator, and Dr. Elizabeth Garrett were based on real people!

I loved the personal details too -- Eleanor and her family with her uncle and her housekeeper (who is like family) and her back and forth relationship with Harry.   Harry is an interesting romantic lead.   He is presented in a multi-dimensional way and I went back and forth a few times as to whether Eleanor should trust him.

The Victorian historical details were beautifully done and I feel I actually learned some interesting history just reading this novel.  It is an engrossing read and I looked forward to ending each day with the continued story.   I think that other fans of historical fiction will enjoy Lady of a Thousand Treasures as well.

Author Bio
Sandra Byrd’s first series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice Award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, was named by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the Top Ten Inspirational Fiction Books of the year.

Her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books of the Year Pick, as was The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr.

Victorian Ladies, a new series, offers its first title, Lady of a Thousand Treasures, in 2018.

 

Connect with Sandra

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.

Book Spotlight - Child of Love and Water by D.K. Marley

Book Synopsis
The year is 1722. A child is born on the isolated island of Ospo off the Georgia coast. In the midst of General Oglethorpe’s vision for this new land, and the emerging townships of Frederica and Savannah, four lives entwine together on this island like the woven fronds in a sea-grass basket – the orphaned Irish girl born free of hate or prejudice, a war-ravaged British soldier seeking forgiveness and absolution, a runaway Gullah slave girl desperate for a word of kindness on the wind, and a Creek Indian warrior searching for answers about this intrusion onto his homeland. What they learn from this wild innocent girl, and from each other, will change their lives forever.

A new birth, a new country, and the elements – Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth – entwine to teach one thing: Love conquers all. Love sees beyond borders. There is no ignorance in love.

Available on Amazon


Author Bio
D. K. Marley is a historical fiction writer specializing in Shakespearean themes. Her grandmother, an English Literature teacher, gave her a volume of Shakespeare’s plays when she was eleven, inspiring DK to delve further into the rich Elizabethan language. Eleven years ago she began the research leading to the publication of her first novel “Blood and Ink,” an epic tale of lost dreams, spurned love, jealousy and deception in Tudor England as the two men, William Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe, fight for one name and the famous works now known as the Shakespeare Folio.She is an avid Shakespearean / Marlowan, a member of the Marlowe Society, the Shakespeare Fellowship and a signer of the Declaration of Intent for the Shakespeare Authorship Debate. She has traveled to England three times for intensive research and debate workshops, and is a graduate of the intense training workshop “The Writer’s Retreat Workshop” founded by Gary Provost and hosted by Jason Sitzes.  She lives in Georgia with her husband and a Scottish Terriers named Maggie and Buster.

For more information, please visit D.K. Marley’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
 

Friday, October 19, 2018

Dear Abby - Videos That Abby Likes: Dachshund Who Sells Pumpkins and Watermelon

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a good week and enjoying Fall weather and Halloween plans!   I found a cute video to share with you today.  This features Doxie Din again.  In this video he dresses up and sells pumpkins -- and watermelons!   My favorite part of the video is when he actually gets some watermelon as a treat.



My Momma has no talent for carving pumpkins so I do not have much experience with jack o' lanterns.  I do, however, like watermelon!

I would love to hear from you in the comments.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Abby xoxoxo 

Book Review and Giveaway - A Crafter Knits a Clue: A Handcrafted Mystery by Holly Quinn

Book Synopsis
Sammy Kane just moved back to her hometown to run a craft store. But when the owner of a nearby yarn shop is murdered, Sammy will needle little help finding the killer.

When a heartbroken Samantha “Sammy” Kane returns to her hometown of Heartsford, WI, for her best friend Kate’s funeral, she learns that Kate’s much-loved craft store is in danger of perishing with its owner. Confounding all her expectations of the life she would live, Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft. A few doors down Main Street, fellow new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. But when Sammy strolls over to see if Ingrid could use a little help, she finds Ingrid’s dead body—with a green aluminum knitting needle lodged in her throat.

Detective Liam Nash is thrown for a loop as every single citizen of Heartsford seems to have a theory about Ingrid’s murder. And nearly everyone in town seems to be a suspect. But the last time Sammy did any sleuthing was as a little moppet. And this is not fun and games. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam—who seems to be endlessly inventive in finding reasons to talk with her—and when Liam arrests affable woodworker Miles Danbury, Sammy puts everything on the line to help clear Miles.

As the case comes dangerously close to unraveling, Sammy must stitch the clues together. But the killer has other plans—and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up in a perilous knot in A Crafter Knits a Clue, the first warm and woolly yarn of Holly Quinn’s new Handcrafted mysteries.

My Review
A Crafter Knits a Clue is the first book in a new series, A Handcrafted Mystery.  Sammy (Samantha) Kane has moved back to her hometown of Heartsford, Wisconsin.  Her best friend Kate passed away and she has decided to continue Kate's work by running her store, Community Craft.  When another craft store owner is mysteriously murdered, Sammy works together with her sister and cousin to solve the case.  This puts her safety in jeopardy and does not please police detective (and possible romantic interest) Liam Nash.

This is a great start to a new series!  The first few chapters have a lot of needed exposition about Sammy and her friend Kate and Community Craft, Kate's store that Sammy has taken over.  The mystery happens early on and the pace really picks up then.

The mystery aspect of A Crafter Knits a Clue is especially well done.   There are a number of viable suspects and lots of little twists and turns.  I loved the idea of Sammy, Heidi, and Ellie continuing their childhood sleuthing as S.H.E. (their childhood detective agency name).   This lent a sort of Nancy Drew quality to the story that was a lot of fun.

I also liked the detecting the women did in Ingrid's spooky old house. (Ingrid was the murder victim.)  It was very atmospheric and my favorite part of the mystery.

The relationship between Sammy and Liam is appealing and their banter is fun to read.   I look forward to reading more of their story in upcoming books in this series.

The small town was charming and I could picture a number of the settings just from the descriptions in the book.  Of course, I also loved Sammy's Golden Retriever, Bara!

I recommend A Crafter Knits a Clue for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.  Readers who enjoy small town settings, crafting, or dogs will find the book especially appealing.

Author Bio
Holly Quinn is both an avid reader and crafter. Holly sells her artistic creations locally and dreamed of one day opening a gift shop to sell local artist’s handiwork. Instead, she began writing about it and thus her journey of the Handcrafted Mystery series was born. Visit her @ www.authorhollyquinn.com

Author Links
Website – www.authorhollyquinn.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HollyQuinnbooks/
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7940795.Holly_Quinn 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Great Escapes Book Tour.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - The Game of Hope by Sandra Gulland

Book Synopsis

For Napoleon’s stepdaughter, nothing is simple — especially love.

Paris, 1798. Hortense de Beauharnais is engrossed in her studies at a boarding school for aristocratic girls, most of whom suffered tragic losses during the tumultuous days of the French Revolution. She loves to play and compose music, read and paint, and daydream about Christophe, her brother’s dashing fellow officer. But Hortense is not an ordinary girl. Her beautiful, charming mother Josephine has married Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to become the most powerful man in France, but viewed by Hortense as a coarse, unworthy successor to her elegant father, who was guillotined during the Terror.

Where will Hortense’s future lie?

Inspired by Hortense’s real-life autobiography with charming glimpses of teen life long ago, this is the story of a girl chosen by fate to play a role she didn’t choose.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Chapters | IndieBound

 

Praise for the Game of Hope

Gulland, who’s clearly done her research, includes plenty of documented moments and people from Hortense’s life, which cultivates a rich sense of atmosphere . . . Teen fans of historical fiction fascinated by the period will find plenty to appreciate here.” — Booklist

“Gulland has built a career writing historical fiction for adults … . Her pitch-perfect balance of lush period details and character-driven narrative shines again in The Game of Hope. — Quill & Quire

“[The Game of Hope] captures the essence of the period. It is not just a story about a girl; it is about the time; it is about the people whose lives she touched and about the changes spurned from the revolution. That is what makes it so grand and captivating.” — Cyn’s Workshop Review

“Sandra Gulland’s writing is enchanting and beautiful.” — Krimsuun Pages

Author Bio
Sandra Gulland is an American-born Canadian novelist specializing in historical fiction. She is the author of the internationally bestselling trilogy of adult books based on the life of Josephine de Beauharnais Bonaparte, as well as two novels set at the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Her books have been published in sixteen countries, translated into thirteen languages, and sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Sandra Gulland’s novels include The Josephine B. Trilogy, The Shadow Queen, Mistress of the Sun, and The Game of Hope.

Website | BlogFacebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a copy of The Game of Hope to one lucky reader! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US Only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Game of Hope

 

Friday, October 12, 2018

Dear Abby - Videos That Abby Likes: A Cute Dachshund Gets His Way!

Dear Friends,

I have a cute short video for you today.  It features a black and tan dachshund who is super cute.  He is so cute, in fact, that he has learned to get his way in all situations.   Sometimes he wants extra kibble, or he wants his Dad to fetch a toy for him, or he wants the comfy chair to himself.   Guess what?  He gets his way every time just because he has mastered The Look.

If you have a dog or cat, does he or she have The Look that helps grant wishes?   Momma says that I do -- I will even go belly up before giving The Look.   (This is a trade secret that I probably should not be sharing here!)

Here is the video:



I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review and Giveaway - Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners by Gretchen Anthony

Book Synopsis


Dearest loved ones, far and near—evergreen tidings from the Baumgartners!

Violet Baumgartner has opened her annual holiday letter the same way for the past three decades. And this year she’s going to throw her husband, Ed, a truly perfect retirement party, one worthy of memorializing in her upcoming letter. But the event becomes a disaster when, in front of two hundred guests, Violet learns her daughter Cerise has been keeping a shocking secret from her, shattering Violet’s carefully constructed world.

In an epic battle of wills, Violet goes to increasing lengths to wrest back control of her family, infuriating Cerise and snaring their family and friends in a very un-Midwestern, un-Baumgartner gyre of dramatics. And there will be no explaining away the consequences in this year’s Baumgartner holiday letter…

Full of humor, emotion and surprises at every turn, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners brings to life a remarkable cast of quirky, deeply human characters who must learn to adapt to the unconventional, or else risk losing one another. This is the story of a family falling to pieces—and the unexpected way they put it all back together.


 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble



My Review
Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners tells the story of the Baumgartner family through a pivotal year ending, of course, at Christmas time.  There is the formidable matriarch, Violet, her long suffering husband Ed, their daughter Cerise, and Cerise's partner Barb.  But somehow there is much more, and it all adds up to an unusually fun holiday read!

I am in awe of the feat that Gretchen Anthony has pulled off with this novel.   There is a large cast of characters and there are numerous flashbacks to Christmas letters and family moments from previous years.  This is all handled so deftly.  I especially loved how well developed and delineated the characters were in this novel.

I also loved the unique blend of humor and heart in this book.  The humor is sly and sometimes laugh out loud funny.  One of my favorite lines from an earlier Christmas letter by Violet:  "I cannot believe that it was just five short years ago she left home with nothing but a fresh high school diploma, a laptop and a new Laura Ashley comforter (no one should leave for college without good bedding)" (p. 32).  There is a dinner party in this novel that is one of the funniest scenes I can recall reading in a book.  

And the characters!  Violet is imposing and controling -- and yet I came to really like her by the end of the novel.  Her husband Ed is salt of the earth, such a good and decent man.  When their daughter Cerise tells them she and Barb are expecting, Violet is beside herself trying to find the paternity of the baby.  That sets a chain of events into motion that continues through the novel.  I won't say more because I don't want to spoil any of the plot twists.  There was one little surprise after another.

Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners is such a fun holiday read!   I highly recommend it -- you're in for a treat.


Author Bio
Gretchen Anthony is a Minnesota-based writer and humorist whose work has been featured on scarymommy.com, medium.com and thewritelife.com. She’s also spent decades as a ghostwriter and has written for some of the best personal brands in the United States, from CEOs to doctors and start-up superstars to BBQ pros. Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners is her first novel.

Connect with Gretchen

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Giveaway
One lucky winner will receive a print copy of Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners.  (U.S. only).  Enter at the Rafflecopter link below.  Winner will be contacted after October 20, and will need to respond within 48 hours or a new name will be drawn.   Good luck to all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.

Friday, October 5, 2018

Dear Abby - Videos That Abby Likes: Dachshunds Playing in Leaves

Dear Friends,

Is it cool and Fall-like where you are?  It is still very hot where I am, with temperatures up to 90 degrees in the afternoon, but I am thinking about Fall and looking forward to cooler weather for good long walks ahead.

I spent some time looking at dachshunds playing in leaves on Youtube.  I found a few videos to share with you!

Meatball the dachshund helps rake leaves in this video called Leaf It To Meatball.



A cute dachshund named Sasha plays in a big pile of yellow leaves.  I love the Fall colors in this video!



Short but sweet video with a 9 month old puppy named Baxter who really loves the leaves:



I hope you are having a great Fall and hope you enjoyed these videos.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - Summer Plans and Other Disasters, by Karin Beery

Book Synopsis
Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track.

Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right?

Trying to figure out God’s plan is hard enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best laid plans were truly God-inspired. 
 
Now available from Elk Lake Publishing!


My Review
Summer Plans and Other Disasters tells the story of Callie, who moves home for the summer to live with her brother and pursue her ex-boyfriend Kyle.  She has her summer neatly planned out.  But things happen to make her re-think her plans, including meeting her long ago crush, Ryan, again.

This is such a fun, sweet read!   Callie is a very likeable and real character.  She is a music teacher and a bit of a klutz.  Her attempts to help her brother Jack as he works to maintain the lighthouse where they live and the surrounding park almost always end in disaster.

I loved the other characters too -- Callie's brother Jack, his best friend Ryan, Stacey (who has a crush on Jack), and Callie's friend Mae.

The atmosphere of the book was especially nice.  I felt like I spent a few hours enjoying life in a lighthouse in small town Michigan.

I also really liked the Christian message of this novel.  Callie is a planner but she learns to let go and trust God.  The author, Karin Beery, handled the message deftly and with a light touch.  The strength of the characters and the engaging plot were always at the heart of this novel.

This story is told from several characters' perspectives, and that took a few chapters to get used to.   But I soon was interested in what would happen next and I enjoyed getting to know the different characters via alternating perspectives.

I recommend Summer Plans and Other Disasters for fans of Christian fiction, women's fiction, and contemporary romance.  It would make a fun weekend read or vacation book.


Author Bio
Karin wrote her first novel in 2007 to cope with her husband’s cancer diagnosis (no worries – he’s cancer free now!). With the support and encouragement of her family, she submitted that manuscript. That particular manuscript has not been published yet, but Summer Plans and Other Disasters, her first published book, releases in September 2018.
 
Karin writes contemporary and speculative fiction stories with a healthy dose of romance, but she’s also expanded her repertoire: she writes feature stories for the local paper, copy material for businesses, and blog posts for herself and others. She even edits (offering copy editing, fiction editing, and critiques through Write Now Editing Services) and teaches (she’s the Substantive Fiction Editing instructor for the PEN Institute and can be found around the country teaching writing and editing courses at conferences and at her local college).


When Karin’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys cooking and baking. She plays the piano and sings (the key of E, please). She kayaks with her husband in the summer, watches football in the fall (Go Blue!), and enjoys Christmas lights all winter long. Shy but extroverted, Karin adores her nieces and nephew and loves spending time with her family.  Learn more about Karin at: karinbeery.com.


You can also follow her on:




I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Book Review and Giveaway - Glitter Bomb (A Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran

Book Synopsis
An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela’s ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus’ float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member’s death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder….and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.


My Review
Carmela Bertrand, who owns a scrapbooking shop in New Orleans, is drawn into a mystery when she sees a float explode at a Mardi Gras parade.  A friend of her ex-husband, Shamus, is killed in the explosion, and Shamus asks her to help solve the mystery.

What rollicking fun Glitter Bomb is -- much like Mardi Gras itself!   I love New Orleans and the authors got the local detail absolutely perfect.   Reading this novel was like visiting the city at the height of Mardi Gras.

I have read several of the books in this series, but not all, and this book works well as a standalone.

Carmela is a fun character.  I enjoy reading about her scrapbooking shop and her amateur detective work.   The detective work is especially interesting since her boyfriend, Edgar Babcock, is a police detective.  I like their relationship and enjoyed their scenes in this book.  Carmela also has a wacky best friend, Ava, and two lovable dogs.

This mystery was complex because there were so many characters and suspects.  (I would have liked a cast of characters list to keep them all straight!)  There were some clues about the murderer and I guessed before the denouement.  Without giving spoilers I will add that the scene where the murderer is caught is my favorite in the book -- very atmospheric and suspenseful!

There were also sections at the back of the book with scrapbooking tips and New Orleans recipes.

I recommend Glitter Bomb to fans of cozy mysteries, and especially to anyone who loves New Orleans.  You are in for a fun read!

Author Bios
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:
Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31


Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year.  The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.

Terrie’s Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9
Blog:  www.womenofmystery.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23186092-terrie-moran


Purchase Links:

Amazon    B&N    Google Books    IndieBound   Kobo  BookBub 


Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Great Escapes Book Tour.