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Try Something New This Summer

4 Comments / Award Winner, Book List, Cozy, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, General, Historical, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Non-fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, True Crime

Every once in a while, avid readers take a break from their favorite genre and venture into ‘summer reading,’ where the world is either a warm, happy, safe place, or the mishaps that occur are slapstick funny and somebody always has your back. No world crises, no exploding planets, just stories that bring a smile to your face.

A few of us indulge our curiosity about demons and witches – as long as the hero/heroines are owners of tea and herb shops, that is.

Then there are the ancient curses that awaken and wreak havoc upon those that get in the way.

If you are primarily a fan of fiction as I am, a foray into the realm of serious non-fiction most often occurs when a compelling true story crosses our paths.

Take a look at the suggestions below and try something a bit different this season.

Happily Ever After

“Sand Dollar Cove,” by Nancy Naigle, is the completely delightful story of a beach area recently hit by bad weather, with people working together to rebuild it. The town relies on tourism to stay afloat, so one of the business owners organizes a fundraising event. We must suspend our disbelief while the rapidly approaching deadline looms to get the work done, but the lead characters are so endearing that we want them to be super human, have their wishes come true, and save the pier. Just in time for summer reading, “Sand Dollar Cove” includes a budding romance between a stranger and our heroine, and the almost magical sand dollars. This could easily fit into the Hallmark Channel lineup of happily ever after stories.

P.I. for Dummies

“Choke,” by Kaye George

Imogene Duckworthy wants to become a private eye, but has no training whatsoever. She gets a book – “P.I. for Dummies,” and has business cards made. Our hapless heroine feels that she is qualified to ‘detect’ because she found a neighbor’s missing puppy. How hard could it be?

This high school graduate, an unwed mother, works for her Uncle at his diner, and when he is found dead, she tries to solve the case. Duckworthy is too naïve to recognize the crooks right in front of her and swoons at the sight of long legs and a smile. Me, oh, my, this gal is in trouble. She is in and out of jail, escapes from cops who are not after her and sees disasters and threats where none exist.

“Choke” is a comedy read that takes nothing seriously in solving a mystery – except the lead character herself. What in the world could go wrong? (First book in the series by Agatha nominated, Kaye George) Set near the Oklahoma border, people familiar with the North Texas area will recognize a certain town with fake falls in ‘Wymee Falls.’

Witches, Demons, Wiccans, and ordinary folk

“Booke of the Hidden,” by award-winning author Jeri Westerson, came to Jeri in a dream. Known for her medieval mysteries, her dream was so compelling that she had to write it down, and a few paragraphs turned into this first book in a new series.

Kylie Strange has moved to a small Maine town to open a tea and herb shop, and during the shop renovation, she discovers a mysterious book that is older than anyone in town and is completely blank. The locals are more than they seem, there are secrets behind every door, deaths occur in her wake, and Kylie has more than one ‘Being’ interested in her. “Booke of the Hidden” is sexy and funny, with adult themes and situations, with the demons and witches, Wiccans, and assorted other supernatural sorts inhabiting the quaint village. Quick-witted, up-for-everything, crossbow wielding Kylie Strange, is a great new character in the genre.

Theological Suspense

“Aceldama,” by John Hazen

A coin from the time of Christ is passed through the centuries with dire consequences for its unwitting possessors. A present-day couple faces the wrath of its curse when the husband falls ill. The wife must uncover the reason for his illness before her husband dies – defying logic, the law, and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

International connections and supportive friends make “Aceldama” an absorbing read as we discover the identity, power, and meaning of the coin. Several surprises along the way keep the pages turning.

Non-Fiction

“Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” by David Grann.

This award-winning, non-fiction account feels like a novel of suspense. Grann recounts the tragedies that unfolded as members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma were displaced, swindled, and murdered in a pattern of corruption and greed at the highest levels of government at the beginning of the twentieth century. At the source of it all? Oil fields that lay under lands given to the Osage Nation. Grann researched the court cases and news of the 1890s and early 1900s, includes photos of the stakeholders, and weaves all of the information into a compelling read. While not the only reason for the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osage cases made an additional convincing argument for the establishment of a national investigative agency.

Stretch your reading horizons and try something new this summer. 🙂

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July 4th Mysteries – 2018

Leave a Comment / Award Winner, Bestselling Author, Book List, Cozy, Crime, Fiction, Holidays, Mystery, Suspense

Looking for a book to read with a July 4th Mystery theme? This list of twenty-six ‘July 4^th Mysteries – 2018’ titles contains entertaining books by bestselling and/or other fun authors where the 4^th of July theme is important to the novel. Some are oldies, but goodies, some are relatively recent. If you know of others, please tell us in the comment section. 🙂

“Murder on Parade” by Donald Bain

“Murder by Fireworks” by Susan Bernhardt

“The Cat Who Went Underground” by Lilian Jackson Braun

“Dead on the 4th of July” by Meg Chittenden

“A Catered Fourth of July” by I. Crawford

“Red, White, and Blue Murder” by Bill Crider

“Dead on the Fourth of July” by R.E. Derouin

“One Fete in the Grave” by Vickie Fee

“Lemon Meringue Pie Murder” by Joanne Fluke

"Mistaken Identity" by Patricia Gligor

“Tool & Die” by Sarah Graves

“Act of Darkness” by Jane Haddam

“Dead, White and Blue” by Carolyn Hart

“Yankee Doodle Dead” by Carolyn Hart

“Exit Wounds” by J. A. Jance

“A Timely Vision” by Joyce and Jim Lavene

“Silence of the Jams” by Gayle Leeson

“Knee High by the Fourth of July” by Jess Lourey

“A Sparrow Falls Fourth of July” by Donna McLean

“Star Spangled Murder” by Leslie Meier

“Foal Play” by Kathryn O’Sullivan

“4^th of July” by James Patterson/Maxine Paetro

“Can't Never Tell” by Cathy Pickens

“Death by Deep Dish Pie” by Sharon Short

“Independence Day Plague” by Carla Lee Suson

“The 4^th of July Can Be Murder” by Dianne Vereen

Happy 4^th to the USA readers and stay safe during the festivities. Have fun choosing from the July 4^th Mysteries – 2018. 🙂

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Author Profile: Sherry Harris

5 Comments / Author Profile, Book List, Cozy, Mystery, Nominated for Award

Sherry Harris, the author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, was a proud Air Force wife, picking up everything and relocating every three or four years – each time orders for an assignment to a new base came down. While we can joke about the horror of having to find new hairdressers and decent grocery stores with every change, the toughest part of being part of a military family was moving her daughter from school to school, and giving up her own face-to-face friendships at each re-posting.

From our perspective as Sherry Harris readers, there is a definite upside to all that moving. It’s difficult to start or maintain a career with frequent transfers, so Harris turned her love of tag sales (called garage or yard sales in some parts of the country) into a writing career. She answered an ad in a local newspaper for a short story contest, kept writing until it turned into a novel length piece, and later, was encouraged to look for an agent.

The quality of her writing ability was proven when “Tagged for Death,” the first in the series, was nominated for an Agatha Award in the Best First Novel category.

Sherry Harris’ favorite writing spot is in her office. Her desk faces the window and when she looks out at the trees, she can pretend she lives in the middle of nowhere. When asked whether her writing process is closer to plotter or pantser, she admitted to being more of a pantser, working toward becoming a plotter. Either way, the results are great!

Harris has revealed in her book bios that she is a “born bargain hunter,” and has created a fully fleshed out character in the series based on her own expertise and love for the activity. Sarah Winston makes her living organizing tag sales for her customers and Harris includes tips for successful tag sales in the books. I personally have used them in my own garage sales.

Harris has followed the writing advice of a favorite thriller writer/instructor (James W. Hall) who feels that people want to learn something and if they do, the books just might keep selling. She attributes the success of cozies in general, to the fact that whether about knitting or cooking or tag sales, cozies contain a mystery along with a lot of information about a specific topic. Fans of that topic will come back for more in book after book.

Sherry Harris’ Sarah Winston character is successful in part because Winston is completely relatable. Her emotional struggles to make her own way as a newly single woman are realistic, and her scenes detailing military life ring true. Harris’ storylines peel back the layers of Winston’s battle with feelings about her ex in each book, while delivering great mysteries. The ensemble supporting characters develop as Winston’s association with them grows naturally. I particularly like the nuanced relationships between Sarah and the men in her life, which ebb and flow as Sarah sorts through the consequences of living as an independent woman.

When not working on the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, Sherry Harris blogs with the Wicked Authors, a New England focused writing group, all talented, published authors. Read their posts at www.wickedcozyauthors.com. Harris is also the current past President of the international writing organization, Sisters in Crime, a group that fosters the development of women writers.

Sherry Harris Fun fact: Her favorite foods are pizza and popcorn. 🙂

Read the review of “Tagged for Death” here.

Read the review of “The Longest Yard Sale” here.

Read the review of “A Good Day to Buy” here.

After reading “A Good Day to Buy,” I counted the months until “I Know What You Bid Last Summer” (book #5) was published and was not disappointed. It’s a terrific entry in the series and is not to be missed. Look for the lasagna subplot, a fun counterbalance to the serious action.

Please visit https://sherryharrisauthor.com for information about Harris, her upcoming appearances, and more in the series.

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“Circle of Influence” and “No Way Home” by Annette Dashofy

3 Comments / Award Winner, Cozy, Fiction, Mystery, Nominated for Award

“Circle of Influence” and "No Way Home" by Annette Dashofy, star Zoe Chambers as an EMT, who occasionally doubles as a coroner's assistant when she can stand the smells in the autopsy room.

In "Circle of Influence," a routine call to check on a car on the side of the road turns into a murder investigation. The only trouble is the dead guy is her best friend's husband, well-liked and respected in town, and he is sitting in the front seat of a city council guy’s car – a guy hated by almost everyone. Why is her friend dead and why is he sitting in that particular car?

The dead guy's mother works for the police department and is arrested for borrowing a computer from the storeroom. Arrested? Why would the city council bully would do such a thing? What is on that computer? Life gets dangerous, the body count rises, and so does the list of suspects. In the “Circle of Influence” effectively layered storyline, there are secrets galore and we don't know whom to believe. Trust is tough to come by.

Dashofy gives us a picture of small-town country living in Pennsylvania. Vance Township is so small that everyone knows where you were and the neighbors ask you about it before you unlock your front door. Vance doesn't even have a coffee shop. The philosophy is that coffee can be brewed at home or at the office- no need to waste money when cash is tight.

The core characters in “Circle of Influence” are nicely developed and we really care about what happens to each. Any one of them could be your next-door neighbor, the guy at the grocery store, the cop you see on the street, the maybe boyfriend that gives you pause – in a good way. Zoe Chambers herself, is a flesh and blood gal with a love of country life and horses. Even though not making a big salary as an EMT, Zoe is able to keep a horse of her own by boarding horses for other people. She has a support system, steps on a few toes while investigating, has an eye for detail, aims to improve at her job, and is loyal to her friends.

Dashofy’s Zoe Chambers is a great character for a series, so I picked up Agatha nominated “No Way Home,” book #5.

Zoe Chambers is out for a ride on her own horse, when a horse from her boarding stable gallops toward her without its owner. You guessed it – the owner is dead. Was it an accident or something else, because the crime scene details don’t add up and the autopsy reveals an unexpected twist.

A tricky plot takes Zoe and her sometime best friend to New Mexico in search of more than one truth. Tensions are high as we discover that drug use is on the rise in this southwestern fictional Pennsylvania community set 30 miles from Pittsburgh. Drug paraphernalia at the crime scenes gives the story a grim authenticity.

Zoe’s love interest in the series returns, but love is not the central focus of “No Way Home.” Murder, drugs, and mayhem definitely are.

Dashofy’s central characters are engaging in "Circle of Influence" and "No Way Home," the plot lines topical, and happily, more books are in the works. “Uneasy Prey,” book #6, is out now.

Please visit www.annettedashofy.com to find out more about this award winning and Agatha nominated author.

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Irish Fiction & Mysteries – 2018

4 Comments / Adventure, Award Winner, Bestselling Author, Book List, Cozy, Crime, Fiction, Historical, Holidays, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Saga, Suspense, Thriller

St. Patrick’s Day will be here soon! For those of you that focus your reading on holiday/cultural themed books, the list below features Irish writers, mysteries/suspense set in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day murders, or titles with Irish characters central to the plot. Some are modern classics, some are newbies, but all are entertaining reads. You’re sure to find a story in the list of 33 Irish Fiction & Mysteries – 2018 that you will want to read again and again. (Links included for bold titles)

Lisa Alber: “Path into Darkness”

Maeve Binchy: “A Week in Winter”

S. Furlong-Bollinger: “Paddy Whacked”

Steve Cavanagh: “The Plea”

Sheila Connolly: "Many a Twist"

Kathy Cranston: “Apple Seeds and Murderous Deeds”

Kathi Daley: “Shamrock Shenanigans”

Frank Delaney: "Shannon"

Nelson Demille: “Cathedral”

Tana French: “Broken Harbor”

Patricia Gligor: "Marnie Malone"

Alexia Gordon: “Murder in G Major”

Andrew Greeley: “Irish Tweed”

Jane Haddam: “A Great Day for the Deadly”

Lyn Hamilton: “The Celtic Riddle”

Lee Harris: “The St. Patrick's Day Murder”

Erin Hart: “The Book of Killowen”

Jonathan Harrington: “A Great Day for Dying”

Mary Anne Kelly: “Twillyweed”

Amanda Lee: “The Long Stitch Good Night”

Dan Mahoney: “Once in, Never Out”

Brian McGilloway: “Little Girl Lost”

Ralph M. McInerny: “Lack of the Irish”

Leslie Meier: “St. Patrick's Day Murder”

Stuart Neville: "Ghosts of Belfast”

Carlene O'Connor: "Murder in an Irish Churchyard"

Sister Carol Anne O’Marie: “Death Takes Up a Collection”

Helen Page: "Equal of God"

Louise Phillips: “The Doll’s House”

Janet Elaine Smith: “In St. Patrick's Custody”

Patrick Taylor: “An Irish Country Practice”

Peter Tremayne: “The Devil’s Seal”

Kathy Hogan Trochek: “Irish Eyes”

If your favorite Irish Fiction & Mysteries – 2018 titles are not on the list, let me know and I’ll add them!

Happy choosing and reading!

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“Bones to Pick” by Linda Lovely

2 Comments / Cozy, Fiction, Mystery

In Linda Lovely’s, “Bones to Pick,” mourners gather to pay their respects to goat farm owner, Aunt Eva, after the death of her twin sister, Lilly. During the ritual of sharing sweet tea and sympathy, a body is discovered by a snuffling pig. Death at a funeral?

Brie Hooker, visiting niece and a vegan chef, wanted to help her beloved aunts, but little did she suspect that murder would be served up along with the goat cheese and the farm fresh eggs. None of which is on her preferred menu. Ever.

The discovery of the corpse leads to an opportunity to re-ignite a decades old family feud, because the bones belong to Eva’s long missing husband. Eva is accused of murder. Again. The in-laws have never liked Eva, and now they have proof that she was up to no good all those years before. The plot thickens as the enemy camp seeks its own form of Carolina justice for imagined wrongdoings.

Farming is hard work and Lovely enhances “Bones to Pick” with the realities of farm life, interspersed with bodies and the dangerous in-law craziness. The goats still have to be fed, and the eggs still must be collected, even while somebody is guarding the house with rifle in hand.

The lively cast of characters includes Paint and Andy (hunky potential boyfriends), questionable law enforcement officers, Mollye (a best friend who always has Brie’s back), and a feisty aunt with an awe inspiring back story. Lovely always sprinkles a few older, intelligent folks in her books, and with “Bones to Pick,” we are treated to Brie’s parents. Brie’s lawyer mother is on speed dial for Eva and the clan, and Brie’s dad is a wannabe writer who likes to come up with ways to hide the bodies (on the page).

“Bones to Pick” is decidedly Southern, full of humor, with a down home setting, references to fleas on Blue Tick hounds, and mentions of those icons of the Carolinas: Clemson, and Wake Forest. Plus, since no well-bred Southern woman ever uses uncouth words in polite company, Brie comes up with somewhat acceptable, if surprising alternatives like: ‘you son of a salami, holy Swiss cheese! and what the Feta?’

I could never be a vegan, but some of the dishes included in the telling of the tale in “Bones to Pick,” sound mouth-watering and I could see adding them to my own repertoire of vegetable dishes. Stuffed portabella mushrooms, pumpkin brownies with coconut whipped cream, and tomato basil soup? Droolworthy food.

Lovely includes dedicated meat eaters in her well-plotted story, which makes for mostly friendly bickering around the table between the two food camps. Whether you’re on Team Meat & Cheese or Team Vegan, there’s plenty to like about “Bones to Pick.” I’m looking forward to the next installment of this new chef in the mystery world, but leave the bacon on the table for me, please.

Contains mild, adult language.

Please visit www.lindalovely.com for more information about Linda Lovely and her other entertaining series.

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Top Eleven Reviews – 2017

2 Comments / Adventure, Award Winner, Bestselling Author, Book List, Cozy, Crime, Fiction, Legal, Mystery, Short Stories/Collection, Suspense, Thriller, Western, Women's Fiction

Tons of great books, soooo many talented authors, and oodles of dedicated booklovers, all combined to make 2017 a great year of reading entertainment. Whether discovering a new author, or returning to a tried and true favorite, the NBR community interest was over 30% greater than the previous most popular year.

Although not included in the 'Top Eleven Reviews – 2017' book list, the 2017 author profiles (Edith Maxwell, Liz Mugavero, Barbara Ross, Lynn C. Willis) were extremely popular and we’ll have more during 2018. Click on their names – links to books included.

Why Top Eleven? There is a debut magazine in the list, very well received by the NBR audience. 🙂

Listed in alphabetical order by author (except for the magazine and the ‘Killer Thrillers’), click on the links to read the reviews for the first time, or to enjoy them again.

“Black Cat Mystery Magazine” debut issue short mystery fiction https://bit.ly/2yrYX5F

“Killer Thrillers for the Beach” (seven thriller authors, ten titles) https://bit.ly/2hNTJJX

“Cat About Town” by Cate Conte https://bit.ly/2ilMj0K

“Grilled for Murder” by Maddie Day https://bit.ly/2oKW36H

“The 7^th Canon” by Robert Dugoni https://bit.ly/2hCYpT0

“I like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around” by Ann Garvin https://bit.ly/2uhL8V5

“A Good Day to Buy” by Sherry Harris https://bit.ly/2gNFTYb

“Dry Bones” by Craig Johnson https://bit.ly/2kVtKgu

“What She Knew” by Gilly Macmillan https://bit.ly/2jcgbvS

“Custom Baked Murder” by Liz Mugavero https://bit.ly/2lqSf8C

“Relic” by Fiona Quinn https://bit.ly/2q7m1yH

Many thanks everyone! May 2018 bring you lots of love and laughter, along with some thumpin’ great new reads. 🙂

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