Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Side Dish of Death (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries) by T. C. LoTempio

 

A Side Dish of Death (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries)
by T. C. LoTempio

About A Side Dish of Death

A Side Dish of Death (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Connecticut
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing (February 25, 2025)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DW4JDTH5

When a celebrity chef is murdered, Shell McMillan has to cook up a plan to trap the killer of a man for all seasonings . . .

With adopt-a-cat month in full swing in Fox Hollow, pet shop owner Shell McMillan decides that hosting a night of murder mystery dinner theater will be a fun way to raise funds for the cause. But she didn’t realize that the celebrity chef she’d hired for the event would turn out to be a tyrannical snob, or that her scoundrel of an ex-fiancé would turn up with his own shady agenda. Still, the show must go on, and as the lighthearted plot on-stage unfolds, the scene off-stage turns decidedly darker when the chef is found murdered.

Rather than question an entire roomful of possible suspects, Shell determines that looking into the victim’s past will lead her to the culprit more quickly. What she finds is that the chef had left behind a disreputable past and a trail of disgruntled people, including a long string of women he’d wronged and a host of others who may have been out for revenge. But as Shell closes in on the killer, the killer is closing in on her. And she’s discovering that while too many cooks can spoil the broth, being a murderer’s next target can really ruin your appetite . . .

About Toni Lotempio 

While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic.  She and her cat pen the Nick and Nora mystery series originally from Berkley Prime Crime and now with Beyond the Page Publishing.  They also write the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries and the Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mysteries, also available from Beyond the Page.  A new series, Cozy Bookshop Mysteries, debuts from Severn House in July. Catch up with them at ROCCO’s blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com, or her website, www.tclotempio.net

Social Media Links

Webpage: http://www.tclotempio.net

Blog: http://www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Smashwords

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 25 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT  

February 26 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST  

February 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

March 2 – Celticladys Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 3 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

March 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 7 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 8 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 9 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

March 10 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT

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Celebrate Lit Presents: Love and Chocolate Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

 

About the Book

Book: Love and Chocolate

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: September 13, 2024

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

 

More from Linda

A couple of years ago while I was planning my upcoming writing projects, I knew I wanted to write a series of books about siblings but couldn’t decide where or went to set the stories. Lots of research later, I discovered the 1898 Columbian Exposition here in the United States and the various inventions associated with that event. Further study led me to Milton Hershey who attended that World’s Fair and was so enamored with the concept of chocolate production for the masses that he sold his caramel company to enter the chocolate business – a risky proposition at that time. As I read more about Milton and his wife Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney-Hershey, I knew I had the beginnings of a story.

The owner of Beck’s Chocolates in my latest release Love and Chocolate is inspired by Milton Hershey, and I enjoyed creating my own “company town,” Cocoaville in which to set the story. Taking place in 1914 prior to the beginning of World War I, the story explores the mixed feelings about German Americans that were prevalent at the time as well as themes of second chances and forgiveness.

In the early days of my career, I worked in a printed circuit board factory, but I knew nothing about chocolate or how to manufacture it. Research for Love and Chocolate included interviewing a close friend who is a chocolatier and trying various brands of chocolate to understand the difference in flavor and texture. Here are a few fun facts I learned about chocolate along the way:

• The Aztecs and the Mayans were the first to realize the benefits of cacao beans, ground and soaked in water approximately 5,000 years ago.
• Switzerland has the highest per capita chocolate consumption.
• The smell of chocolate can help relax and reduce stress.
• It takes two to four days to produce a single serving chocolate bar.
• Cote d’Ivoire is the single largest producer of cocoa, providing roughly 40 percent of the world’s supply.
• The world’s largest chocolate bar weighed over 12,000 pounds.
• It takes about 400 cacao beans to make a pound of chocolate.
• Cacao trees can live up to 100 years.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, February 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 15

lakesidelivingsite, February 16

Book Looks by Lisa, February 16

Texas Book-aholic, February 17

She Lives To Read, February 18

Pause for Tales, February 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 19

Devoted To Hope, February 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 21

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 22

Sylvan Musings, February 23

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 24

Connie’s History Classroom, February 25

For Him and My Family, February 26

Holly’s Book Corner, February 27

Mary Hake, February 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Visa Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.r

Celebrate Lit Presents: Our Trustworthy God Epic Book Launch

 

Book Title: Our Trustworthy God

 

Author Name: Sarah Howley

 

Genre: Bible Study

 

Release Date: March 28, 2025

 

Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You

 

Have you ever felt like in life’s most challenging moments, trusting God can be a struggle—even impossible? What if you knew that God not only invites you to trust him but is trustworthy himself and trusts you in return? Our Trustworthy God warmly welcomes you into a deeper understanding of the mutual relationship he longs to have with you, one built on love, trust, and active engagement.

With your guide, Sarah K. Howley—founder of InspiritEncourage, author, and speaker—you will walk through those difficult moments when trust feels scary, discovering how God’s faithfulness shines brightest in your darkest times. Through rich, Scripture-based insights, Sarah unpacks why God is always trustworthy and how his boundless love continually works for your good.

Through this study, you’ll find:

·       A deeper awareness of God’s active love and trust in your everyday life

·       Confidence in God's unwavering faithfulness, even when challenges arise

·       Practical steps to strengthen your relationship with God, built on mutual trust

·       Encouragement to openly confront doubts and questions about your faith

·       Guidance on how to live as a trustworthy person, reflecting God's faithfulness in your life

Our Trustworthy God explores the incredible truth that God trusts you, reminding you that your relationship with him is neither one-sided nor blind but vibrant and deeply mutual. You’ll be invited to reflect on what it truly means to live in faithful connection with your loving God despite the pains of life and evils of the world.

Approachable yet deeply rooted in Scripture, this study is perfect for individuals or groups seeking to strengthen their faith and experience the joy of walking in a two-way relationship with the God who loves and trusts you.

 

Book Excerpt

They went beyond the surface, and I shared personal issues, not just work issues. I admitted to these friends that I had problems or needed advice, and they did too. We both shared our lives and the significant things that were going on. We listened and even acted on what we heard; we supported each other with a shoulder to cry on or a sympathetic ear to listen. That intimacy developed. We both shared and listened and leaned and heard; we liked each other.

These were mutual relationships. Eventually, even the mess-ups and the vulnerabilities didn’t stand in the way of being comfortable with each other. Whatever happened, I knew I was accepted. We both did.

But I admit it hadn’t been a mutual relationship with God, not like those relationships with friends. There wasn’t the kind of intimacy of a two-way, mutual relationship. But it began to happen as I understood more about him and the trust between us. In understanding more about trust, it broke open some kind of imaginary boundary between me and God. I broke through to intimacy with God and a new nearness. I stopped worrying and started believing in him and his promises. I stopped just “reading” his Word and began understanding who he is.

 

 

Missed Any Excerpts, Go Here

 

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About the Author

 

 

 

Sarah K. Howley is the founder of InspiritEncourage and author of several Bible studies. She is a certified counselor by the Chiesa Apostolica in Italia and holds a master’s degree in education. Sarah often travels the world, usually with espresso in hand. Follow her at inspiritencourage.com to keep in touch.

 

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Debutante’s Second Chance Author: Lisa M. Prysock

 

About the Book

Book: The Debutante’s Second Chance

Author: Lisa M. Prysock

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: January 28, 2025

As the horseracing world teeters on the brink of collapse, she fights to save her family’s stables.
The return of the man who once shattered her heart is the last thing she needs—or is it?

Miss Gladdie Lyndon’s world is turned upside down when her father’s stroke leaves her in charge of Velvet Brooks Horse Farm. With the horseracing industry in decline and the 1908 Kentucky Derby on the brink of cancellation, Gladdie faces an uphill battle to save her family’s legacy. The pressure mounts as clients abandon the farm, leaving her to pin all hopes on a mysterious new horse champion.

As she grapples with these challenges, Gladdie is blindsided by the return of Clay Grinstead—the man who left her heartbroken on the eve of their wedding. Now a widowed father, Clay has come back to Lexington with dreams of a fresh start and a determination to win back Gladdie’s love. He sees an opportunity to help her save Velvet Brooks and the Derby, but Gladdie must decide if she can trust him.

As they navigate financial peril and emotional wounds, Clay works to tear down the walls around Gladdie’s heart. Together, they must confront their shared history and forge a path forward. Can they rescue the farm and revive the Derby, or will their past heartbreak thwart their future happiness?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Lisa M. Prysock is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes both Christian Historical Romance and Contemporary Christian Romance books—”Romance with a Dash of Food, Fashion, Faith, & Fun.” She writes both traditionally and indie published novels.

Kentucky inspires her writing and is home. Happily married to her husband of more than 24 years, she homeschooled two of their five children, now grown. When she isn’t writing, she likes to cross stitch, crochet, sew, scrapbook, read, swim, dance, take walks, travel, explore historical homes, garden, cook for her family, learn to play the piano and violin, and read great books.

 

More from Lisa

I wrote this book because I firmly believe in second chances. In fact, I believe in third, fourth, and fifth chances too. I’m a recipient of God’s grace and He’s been so good to me, giving me many second chances when I didn’t always deserve it, and sometimes, just because it was needed. He also knows when something hasn’t necessarily been fair in our lives. He is the God who sees, and many times I’ve seen Him step forward to grant me an opportunity or a second chance in my life because something happened that wasn’t my fault, didn’t go in my favor, and actually made things harder for me, but He wanted to make it right and gave me something extra to work all things together for my good. I’m sure many of you can relate. Isn’t this a marvelous thing when it happens?

Our heroine, the main character, Gladdie—a family name for my maternal great aunt and my maternal grandmother—is given a second chance at romance after being jilted by the hero, Clay. But can Gladdie forgive him after he jilted her? Clay has reasons for what happened, but Gladdie has no idea what his reasons are. Will she ever give him a chance to explain? As you can see, it’s all about second chances, all the way around.

I also wrote this book because one of the secondary characters in the story reminds me of someone dear to my heart who went through tremendously difficult things. Unspeakable things I can’t write. Maybe it was therapeutic for me to write that character’s story somehow. Sometimes people we love experience hardship and there isn’t anything we can do about it except pray after we’ve done everything else we can do. I can’t wait to bring a beautiful ending for that particular character in a sequel.

There is a third and fourth reason I wrote this story. Thirdly, I wanted to give readers a glimpse of Gilded Age Europe and the horseracing world of England and France. I plan to write more of this in a sequel as well. It was so much fun to share more about the Gilded Age history of racing from a European perspective by taking readers to Ascot and Longchamps.

Fourthly, my research led me to understand more about the reality of the decline in horseracing in America that began around the time of the Gilded Age. Tracks were closing all around the nation. We’d gone from having more than three-hundred racecourses to fewer than fifty. New York had introduced legislation that could alter the course of racing in that state too, and many feared other states would soon follow.

I was fascinated to read about how Colonel Matt Winn, the President of Churchill Downs, helped to save the Kentucky Derby of 1908 as I read more about the opposition they faced. The changes in the industry brought about machine betting, or what is commonly known as pari-mutuel betting. It was so interesting that it didn’t take me long to begin to see my characters involved with saving the Derby of 1908 too. While most of my story is fictionalized, I think readers will find it a fascinating read as I’ve included the nuts and bolts from my research about this situation. In any case, I hope readers will immensely enjoy The Debutante’s Second Chance. It comes directly from my heart.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 13

Labor Not in Vain, February 14

Devoted To Hope, February 14

Texas Book-aholic, February 15

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 16

lakesidelivingsite, February 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 20

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 21

Simple Harvest Reads, February 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, February 23

Holly’s Book Corner, February 24

Pause for Tales, February 25

Stories By Gina, February 26 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lisa is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54155

Beside the Dead by Mary Alford

 

Harrison Troyer has been a ghost for over a decade. . .

His future silenced by the threat of prison. But now, the secrets that haunted him can no longer remain buried.

Now living in the shadows as a private investigator in Alaska, Harrison is sent to Evergreen Falls, Maine to find a desperate mother’s missing daughter.

But when a terrified woman stumbles into his remote hideaway in the North Woods of Maine, pleading for his help to escape a killer, his fragile anonymity shatters.

Eden’s story of survival is harrowing—and eerily connected to a case Harrison is chasing. As they team up to unravel her abduction, Harrison realizes Eden may hold not only the key to exposing a dangerous predator but also answers to his missing persons.

Deputy Sheriff Samantha Baker is relentless in her search for answers about her sister Mae’s disappearance twenty-three years ago. When Eden’s escape mirrors Mae’s case and another missing woman, Sam suspects the same monster has returned to prey on Evergreen Falls.

Forced into an uneasy alliance with law enforcement, Harrison and Eden plunge into a chilling web of lies, secrets, and deadly truths. With each step closer to justice, the lines between their hunt for the killer and their fight for survival blur. And as their growing bond threatens to thaw hearts long frozen by grief, they must face a final question: can they stop a killer before the past destroys them both?

Beside the Dead is a gripping tale of love, redemption, and the unrelenting pursuit of truth. Packed with pulse-pounding suspense and heart-stopping twists, this romantic thriller will keep you guessing until the final page.

Amazon

 

About The Author

Mary Alford is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty novels. Her books have been finalists in the Selah Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and the HOLT Medallion Contest. As a writer, Mary is an avid reader. She loves to cook and can’t face the day with-out coffee. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two very spoiled cats and one adorable rescue dog. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook and Twitter or any social platforms listed at www.maryalford.net. 

My Review

This book was so good! I had to know the answers, and thus I read this in one sitting! Page turner for sure!
This is a faith based read, but with the evil lurking, and I really never came to the correct conclusion as to the evil one until the answers were revealed.
I loved how the author wrapped up this read, but she also gave answers to readers of her previous books, so keep reading.
This is the story of missing women, some for over twenty years, and our main character is in town looking for one of these missing! Some mothers never give up, and this ones mother wants answers so she hires a private detective, and that is how Harrison ends up in Maine!
We are offered some breath holding danger, a bit of sweet romance, and the feeling of walking and falling in blizzard conditions.
I really wondered what makes some people tick!
I am now looking for more reads by Mary Alford, be sure to read the author's notes!
I received this book through the author, and was not required to give a positive review.

Celebrate Lit Presents: Miss Blaire in Blackwell’s Island (Heiresses of Adventure Book One) Author: Grace Hitchcock

 

About the Book

Book: Miss Blaire in Blackwell’s Island (Heiresses of Adventure Book One)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance True Crime

Release date: July 31, 2024

Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?

On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.

With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Blaire does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.

At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple his­torical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.­­­­

 

 

More from Grace

I am thrilled to share with you my FIRST novel in the HEIRESSES OF ADVENTURE series, MISS BLAIRE IN BLACKWELL’S ISLAND, which is set in New York City in 1887. I loved writing about Edyth Blaire, our cat-rescuing, spunky heroine who spends her days painting, fencing with her dreamy instructor, and avoiding society at all costs, which as you can imagine, comes back to haunt her before the end. I’ve never written about a character who despised reading, so that was a new one for me. Edyth just doesn’t like to sit still long enough to finish a book, but you’ll find out why later.

While writing this book, I am pretty certain the librarians at my local branch were wondering what in the world my hobbies are, judging from the stacks of fencing books for beginners, histories of New York crime in the 19^th century, and Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Mad-House, and more.

The inspiration for this book came from Nellie Bly’s scandalous exposé for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World. In reading Nellie’s articles, I was shocked at the grounds by which the asylum would commit women and that’s when I discovered a tiny mention about an heiress with family members who had her tucked away so they could have her fortune. . . and Edyth Blaire was born.

I hope you will enjoy reading about our eccentric leading lady and her fencing master hero, Raoul “Bane” Banebridge in this friends-to-lovers romance. If you are interested in seeing pictures of the asylum and to see what I pictured the characters looking like, check out my Pinterest board here.

Are you part of a book club? I have discussion questions here!

 

My Review

This was a great read, but it did give me nightmares, and mainly because it is based on fact. This horrible place really existed, and was used to actually destroy people, sick and sad.
There are smiles to be found when we follow our daring Ms. Edyth as she goes about NY City, doing what we take for granted, but back in the late 1880’s was considered unladylike.
Then we have her Uncle, yes, he is her guardian, at least for a few more weeks, she will then be 25, and able to assume control over her fortune. She also seems to finally gotten the attention of the man she loves, but can it ever be?
What we have here, plain and simple greed, and how they go about stealing the money, is just plain horrible.
Make sure you read the author’s notes at the end of this book, sad but true!

I received this book through Celebrate Lit. and was not required to give a positive review. 

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, February 21

Allyson Jamison, February 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 22

Devoted To Hope, February 22

Texas Book-aholic, February 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 23

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 25

Maureen’s Musings, February 25

Melissa’s Bookshelf, February 26

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 27

Vicky Sluiter, February 27

Betti Mace, February 28

Cover Lover Book Review, February 28

Blogging With Carol, March 1

Connie’s History Classroom, March 1

lakesidelivingsite, March 2

For Him and My Family, March 3

Mary Hake, March 3

Labor Not in Vain, March 4

Holly’s Book Corner, March 4

Leslie’s Library Escape, March 5

Inspired by Fiction, March 5

Pause for Tales, March 6

Lights in a Dark World, March 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize of a $20 gift card with FREE SHIPPING to Grace’s Autographed Bookshop!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54161

I Died for Beauty (An Emily Dickinson Mystery, #3) by Amanda Flower

 

When a blaze takes both a neighbor’s home and his life, Emily Dickinson and her maid Willa have a burning desire to crack the case in this new historical mystery from Agatha Award–winning author Amanda Flower.

Amherst, 1857. The Dickinson family braves one of the worst winters in New England’s history. Trains are snowbound and boats are frozen in the harbor. Emily Dickinson and her maid, Willa Noble, have never witnessed anything like it. As Amherst families attempt to keep their homes warm, fears of fire abound.

These worries prove not to be unfounded as a blaze breaks out just down the street from the Dickinson in Kelley Square, the Irish community in Amherst, and a young couple is killed, leaving behind their young child. Their deaths appear to be a tragic accident, but Emily finds herself harboring suspicions there may be more to the fire than meets the eye. Emily and Willa must withstand the frigid temperatures and discover a killer lurking among the deadly frost.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

Amanda Flower is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author of over thirty-five mystery novels. Her novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times, and she had been featured in USA Today, First for Women, and Woman’s World. She currently writes for Penguin-Random House (Berkley), Kensington, Hallmark Publishing, Crooked Lane Books, and Sourcebooks. In addition to being a writer, she was a librarian for fifteen years. Today, Flower and her husband own a farm and recording studio, and they live in Northeast Ohio with their two adorable cats.

Visit her at www.amandaflower.com

  

My Review

 I really enjoyed this cozy mystery set in 1857 Amherst Massachusetts, and although this is the third book in this series, this is the first I have read, and I was not lost.
The story is told by Willa Noble, Emily Dickinson's maid, and we sure walked a lot in cold, the Cold Storm, one of the most brutal winters recorded. This is a college town, and their is a distinction between the classes here.
Miss Emily is always walking around with a lot of words in her head that is trying to make their way to paper, and as she goes about she brings Willa, whom should be home working. We see a big class separation here, and women are under their husbands control.
Was I surprised by how the facts unfolded here, oh yes, and they kept coming right to the end.
Be sure to read the authors notes, I loved how she tells us about the characters.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

 

Marrying above your social class can come with unexpected consequences, as Elinor Coombes discovers when she is swept into a fairy-tale marriage with the son of English aristocrats. But she realizes too late that it was the appeal of her father’s hard-earned wealth rather than her own pretty face that attracted her new husband and his family. Ground down by rigid social rules that include her being allowed to see her nanny-raised infant son for only moments each day, Elinor faces a lonely future. But a present from her father—tickets for the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, a luxurious new ocean liner—offers a welcome escape from the cold, controlling atmosphere of her husband’s ancestral home, and some precious time with her little son, Teddy.

After the ship goes down, Elinor grasps at the chance to take Teddy and start a new life in America: They can disappear completely if they are listed among the dead. After stealing another woman’s identity, a now penniless Elinor must put that terrible night behind her and learn to survive in a brash new world that couldn’t be more different from her own. And when a face from the past appears, she must risk everything to keep her secret—and her son.

An absorbing historical drama set between the hidebound traditions of the English aristocracy and the opportunities of a bustling young city, The Lost Passenger is a gripping and dramatic story about grabbing your chances with both hands, and being brave enough to find out who you really are.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

Welcome to my Amazon author page! If you've made it here, you'll probably know I'm the author of The Smallest Man, my debut novel, about a boy who beomes a 'court dwarf' in 17th century England. My latest book is That Bonesetter Woman, set around a century later, in Georgian London. It's about a young woman, Endurance Proudfoot, who wants to be a bonesetter, her sister who becomes a famous actress, a baby left at the Foundling Hospital, an unwise marriage - and some lions!

You might be a bit surprised to see a series of law textbooks here too. It's not a mistake, they're mine as well - it's always good to have more than one string to your bow! But for the avoidance of confusion, I'm not the same Frances Quinn who won Great British Bake Off, though I do make a very good Pineapple Upside Down Cake. 

 

My Review

 I really enjoyed this read, from beginning to end, and then the blip of whats to come!
I can just imagine the young girl impressed at being invited to a society affair, and then the chance meeting of her future husband, yes he swept her off her feet.
The wedding and then reality! The one saving grace was her darling Teddy, but the truth of life, so different and so cold.
Her father had promised, two years prior, tickets on the maiden voyage of the beautiful new ship, the Titanic! He provides her with five tickets, one for her, her husband, son, maid and butler. We know what happens to the ship, but do any survive?
The story gets even more interesting, when she takes the name of a missing passenger, and assumes her life.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, but there are a few whom she comes in contact with that figure out the the truth.
Does she get away with it? What a page turner for answers, and yes, they come, with even more surprises!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review.

Body Parts by Caitlin Rother

 

Now updated with shocking details about the identity of Wayne Adam Ford’s first victim – revealed 25 years after her death – the brand new edition of a true crime classic from New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother delves into the disturbing mind and brutal crimes of the Humboldt County serial killer now on Death Row.

“I hurt some people.”



With these words, a tearful man hinted at a deadly crime, leading investigators to uncover a horrifying saga of abuse, tragedy, and serial murder . . .



When Wayne Adam Ford walked into the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in November 1998 with a woman's body part in his jacket pocket, the 36-year-old truck driver wasn’t a suspect in any crime. After a lengthy investigation spanning four California counties and a sensational trial, he was convicted of the torture and murder of four women. His first victim, whom he dismembered, would remain unidentified for 25 years.

While serving honorably in the Marine Corps, Ford had learned life-saving techniques that gave him structure and purpose. But a severe head injury worsened pre-existing emotional problems, rendering him unable to suppress his dark sexual impulses. Knowing he would kill again, he enlisted his brother’s help to turn himself in.

Award-winning investigative journalist Caitlin Rother drew on previously sealed testimony and interviewed key players in the case, including Ford's brother and father, to write this intimate and psychologically resonant narrative. Extensively updated with the inside details of how Ford’s first victim was recently identified through DNA testing and forensic genealogy, this classic true crime story continues to haunt us.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 15 books, the latest of which will be released in June 2025.

Rother is thrilled to announce she has accepted a two-book deal with Thomas & Mercer/Amazon for a new crime series of novels featuring surfing homicide detective Ken Goode and investigative reporter Katrina Chopin, who investigate murders in La Jolla, CA, while navigating ethical lines that force them to work independently and a powerful sexual attraction that draws them together. (T&M/January 2026)

Rother's latest title is DEATH ON OCEAN BOULEVARD: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case, about the mysterious death of Rebecca Zahau at the Spreckels Mansion in Coronado, which was deemed a suicide by authorities, but as a murder by a civil jury and the Zahau family. The book has been optioned for TV/film by Untitled Entertainment for a TV series, with Rother as executive producer. (Citadel Press/2021)

Rother's next book is a significantly updated edition of BODY PARTS, the true story of Wayne Adam Ford, a serial killer who killed four troubled women, then did the rare deed of turning himself in before he could kill again. This new edition will include 10,000 words of new material about the recent identification of his first victim, Kerry Anne Cummings, through forensic genetic genealogy. Ford dismembered Kerry after murdering her in 1987, rendering her unidentified for 25 years. Today, her family has closure and Kerry Anne Cummings has her name back. (Citadel Press/February 2025)

Also new next year will be DOWN TO THE BONE: A Missing Family's Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice, a deep investigative look at the McStay family murders that will reveal new and exclusive details about the case. After the family mysteriously vanished from their house in Fallbrook, CA, in February 2010, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department investigated their disappearance as a missing persons case, ultimately dropping the search after deciding the family had voluntarily gone to Mexico. When their remains were found in the desert nearly four years later, their deaths became a homicide, investigated by authorities in San Bernardino County. Charles "Chase" Merritt, one of two business associates of Joseph McStay, was arrested a year later, and was sentenced to death in 2020. Merritt, his defense attorneys and family, and others who believe the investigations and trial were flawed due to confirmation bias, claim he was wrongly convicted. (Citadel/June 2025)

The extensively revised and updated edition of DEAD RECKONING (WildBlue Press/2019) contains 30 pages of fresh material since the original 2011 release. This is the authoritative book on the murders of Tom and Jackie Hawks, who were tied to the anchor of their yacht and thrown overboard--alive, as well as the slaying of Jon Jarvi, all by transgender killer Skylar Deleon. Deleon, who has legally changed her name and gender to female, is housed on death row in San Quentin, a men's prison.

In 2018, Rother released HUNTING CHARLES MANSON (HarperCollins/Nelson Books), a hardcover co-authored with Lis Wiehl, which came out in trade paperback in June 2019. Also available in audio.

Also in 2013, Rother released her mini-memoir, titled, SECRETS, LIES, AND SHOELACES: A story of hardship and healing, which chronicles her relationship and marriage, which ended in her husband's suicide.

Her other titles are LOVE GONE WRONG (Kindle), THEN NO ONE CAN HAVE HER, I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU, NAKED ADDICTION, LOST GIRLS, POISONED LOVE, DEADLY DEVOTION, BODY PARTS, TWISTED TRIANGLE, and MY LIFE, DELETED.

LOVE GONE WRONG is an e-book collection of 10 true crime stories from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, also available as Kindle shorts by the state where the murders occurred: A COMPLICATED WOMAN (South Carolina), DEAD ON DELIVERY (Georgia) and KILL HIM SOME MORE (Florida).

THEN NO ONE CAN HAVE HER (Kensington/Pinnacle, 2015), is a story of blood money, sex addiction, manipulation and murder in a small mountain town in Arizona, and a roller coaster ride to justice. This complex legal tale involves a deep love gone wrong between Carol Kennedy--a peaceful, loving mother of two, artist and therapist--and her "soulmate" ex-husband Steve DeMocker, an investment broker. DeMocker's family believes he was wrongly convicted for Carol's murder, which occurred just 35 days after their divorce was finalized. His appeal also has been rejected.

Rother's debut crime novel, NAKED ADDICTION (WildBlue Press, 2014), unveils a lethal confluence of sex, drugs and the murder of young-beauty school entrepreneurs that oozes into the wealthy beach community of La Jolla. Undercover narcotics detective Ken Goode confronts his own demons as he investigates these homicides, which are complicated by a drug ring, an escort service, a seductive witness, and fears that his missing sister could be the next murder victim. UPDATE: An audio book of this title was just released in 2015.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU is the true story behind the cold case murder of multimillionaire entrepreneur Bill McLaughlin in Newport Beach, Calif., by his femme fatale fiancee, Nanette Johnston Packard, and her NFL-linebacker lover, Eric Naposki. (Kensington, 2014)

Rother's most controversial true crime book is LOST GIRLS, a behind-the-scenes account of the rape and murder of San Diego area teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois by sexual predator John Gardner (Kensington, 2012).

Her New York Times bestseller, MY LIFE, DELETED, is the inspirational memoir of former NFL player Scott Bolzan, who rebuilds his life after suffering a brain injury and losing his entire long-term memory. She co-authored the book with Scott and his wife Joan. (HarperOne, 2011)

The updated POISONED LOVE (Kensington, 2011) adds 20 pages of new developments in the Kristin Rossum case, in which the beautiful San Diego toxicologist was convicted of poisoning her husband with powerful narcotics she stole from her lab at the county Medical Examiner's Office, then staging a suicide scene by sprinkling red rose petals over her husband's body.

Rother regularly appears as a TV crime analyst and speaker. She also takes on a limited number of clients as a writing/research/promotions coach and consultant. Before quitting the news biz to write books full-time, Rother worked for 19 years as an investigative reporter for daily newspapers, covering issues ranging from addiction, suicide, mental illness and murder to politics and corruption at City Hall and in Congress. Rother was a Pulitzer-nominated staff writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, and also has been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, The Daily Beast and Huffington Post. Her more than 250 international TV, radio and podcast appearances include 20/20, Australia's "World News," "People Magazine Investigates," "Crime Watch Daily," "Nancy Grace," the "Jay Thomas Show," "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren, "Women Who Kill" on E!, "Snapped," and many other shows on Investigation Discovery, HLN, Netflix, Reelz, Oxygen, C-SPAN, and various PBS affiliates.

Rother earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from University of California Berkeley and her master's in journalism from Northwestern University. Please visit her website at caitlinrother dot com. 

 

My Review

 

What an incredible job the author does of bringing all the facts of this case to us.
We begin with getting to know the mind of a serial killer, what makes Wayne Adam Ford tick?
There are extensive interviews with the people whom know this man, or had the misfortune to make is acquaintance.
We now have identification of the woman he brutalize, twenty five years after she was dismembered, through modern science, we know the name and family, sadly she is not missing anymore.
After all the facts, trial, deliberation, and then the verdict. There is much discussion about the death penalty, the man walks into the police department and turns himself in. He doesn't want to hurt anyone else, and the police at that time had no idea what they were dealing with.
This story is a reprint of a 2009 edition, with big updates, and listing the name of the victim. There is also updates as to the prison, and what Governor Newsom has done.
This is a page turner, filled with information, and outcomes!
I received this book through the author, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

 

Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.

Berlin, 1938. Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 Heather Marshall lives with her family near Toronto. She worked in politics and communications before turning her attention to her true passion: storytelling. Her debut novel Looking for Jane was an instant #1 bestseller. Visit HeatherMarshallAuthor.com or connect on Instagram @heathermarshallauthor.

 

My Review

A read that kept me page turning past my bedtime, I needed answers!
This is a dual time read, from the late 1930's and then 2010, a story of strong women, and upheavals and life changing events.
The 1930's takes place in Germany when the evil that was taking place started it murderous advance. This is a story of love and loss, of saving and giving, and mainly good vs evil!
There are big surprises as the story unfolds and I did know there were attempts on the life of the leader, but this one will make you take notice, but the lasting ramifications change lives.
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end, their is so much of truth built into this fictional read.
I did enjoy how this read ended, but the main focus is we need to not forget the atrocities that were committed against society.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine , and was not required to give a positive review.