The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight – Spotlight & Blog Tour

Today, I’m featuring a spotlight for a book I wanted to read but didn’t get the chance to. It’s called The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight.

The Reaper’s Quota was in the top 10 books in the Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award for 2022 (BBNYA 2022).

 

A bit about the book

Book title: The Reaper’s Quota

Author: Sarah McKnight

Publisher: Self-Published

Length: 190 Pages

Genre: Dark Humor, Satire, Young Adult

Publication Date: 10 November 2021

 

Book Synopsis:

Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way. Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he's not supposed to have - his humanity.

 

Add The Reaper’s Quota on Goodreads.

 

About the Author

Sarah McKnight has been writing stories since she could pick up a pencil, and it often got her in trouble during math class. After a brief stint teaching English to unruly middle schoolers in Japan, she decided she wasn’t going to put off her dream of becoming a writer any longer and set to work.

With several novels in the making, she hopes to tackle issues such as anxiety, depression, and letting go of the past - with a little humor sprinkled in, too. A St. Louis native, she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her wonderful husband and three cats.

You can find her on Twitter @mcknight_writes and her website www.sarahmcknightwrites.com.

Find The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight on Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, and Amazon US.

 

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner. 

If you’re an author & would like to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website at http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official.

BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold – Book Review & Excerpt – Blog Tour

Once again, I’m featuring one of my all-time favorite authors! It’s Carolyn Arnold!

• You may have seen my reviews for here historical adventure books like The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh and The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure or her psychological CSI-like thriller books. I’ve read too many books in those series:
• The Little Grave (Detective Amanda Steele Mystery Series, Book 1)
• What We Bury (Detective Madison Knight Mystery series, Book 10)
• On the Count of Three (Detective Brandon Fisher series, Book 7)
• Past Deeds (Detective Brandon Fisher series, Book 8)

Today, I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for Arnold’s newest book and series, Sara and Sean Cozy Mysteries Series. The book is a cozy mystery called Bowled Over Americano.

This post is part of a blog tour organized by Dolly Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. As part of the tour, I’m doing a book review along with an excerpt from the book.

Keep reading to learn more about the book, read my review, and get a glimpse with an excerpt from the first chapter of Bowled Over Americano. Of course, don't forget to enter the giveaway.

About the Book:

Bowled Over Americano (Sara and Sean Cozy Mysteries Series)

1st in Series – Setting: New York

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc.

Publication Date: 11 April, 2023

Print length: 263 pages

Digital ASIN: B0BKQC62FH

 

First, here’s the synopsis for Bowled Over Americano:

Sara Cain isn't your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…

When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.

Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.

But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.

Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.

A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.

 

About the Author:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books.

Her genre diversity offers readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

Connect with Carolyn Arnold via her Website, Blog, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

 

Book Review 

I'm still reading the book so I'll be updating this section as soon as I'm done!

Book Excerpt from Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold

 

Excerpt from CHAPTER ONE

 

“Books don’t write themselves.”

Sara Cain just wanted to finish writing one novel. High hopes and all that. It certainly had her muttering under her breath like a madwoman. She hadn’t realized when she’d chosen the working title of Dead in the Water how painfully accurate it would be. She’d been working on the book for two-plus years. It wasn’t all a loss, at least. The book’s setting, the victim, and the murder method were working. The motive was tripping her up. What had sounded good in her head fell flat on the page, and she had no idea how to fix it. She also had no clue how to lead her sleuths to the killer. All because she decided to jump in without plotting in advance. Big mistake. Though writing by the seat of her pants—organically, panster style—came with its fun moments. Until she hit a wall called writer’s block. And it was real, all right.

She swore the blasted cursor mocked her with every blink, as if hammering in the fact that zero words were hitting the page. Well, she’d show it! She closed the lid on her laptop.

Time for a break!

Sara put on her running shoes and stepped onto her front porch, drawing in a deep breath of the summer night air. Even with a touch of humidity, the temperature was perfect. She locked the door and headed out.

Nothing worked like a walk to clear the mind. Fingers crossed…

If her mother knew, she would try to talk Sara out of going because it was six thirty at night—sun still up or not—and there were safer neighborhoods in Albany. Even better, her mother would have preferred Sara stay in Cotton Spring Falls, about fourteen minutes from the city, and made the daily commute. “It’s safer here,” her mother would argue. But when Sara signed on with the Albany Police Department, she’d wanted a fresh start, and that meant a new place to rent.

Not like her mother had to worry anyway. Sara had some martial arts classes under her belt, and what she hadn’t picked up there, she learned on the job as a detective in Homicide.

Sara set off down a side street, enjoying a rather quiet Wednesday evening. The only sounds were birdsong and crickets getting an early start. It was the perfect night to drink wine and watch the sunset, ideally with that special someone.

She pushed her work partner, Sean McKinley, from her mind. He was five foot ten—three inches taller than her—with brown eyes that always regarded her with affection. And he had this ability to read her mind. But by far the most dangerous things about him were his smile and his charisma. The latter he wielded like a superpower that came naturally and required the slightest effort. He dated a harem and never got serious about any one of them, but she didn’t think of him as a player. She preferred to believe he was, like her, trying to find the one. Until that person came along, they had their friendship and solving murders to keep them company.

The sidewalk was mostly barren except for a young boy of about twelve pedaling his bike straight toward her at a fast clip. She got out of the way just in time.

“Sorry,” he called out over a shoulder.

Sara smiled. Thoughts of her book had been scared out of her.

A man reversing his car out of his driveway waved at her. She waved back. It was a sad stereotype that people in cities weren’t friendly; she always found a smile in the crowd. Her mother would tell her it had to do with the fact that she still had her youth and beauty. Sara hated to believe the world was that vain, but her youth was slipping away. She didn’t really want to think about her birthday next Wednesday. Yikes. The big three-three.

Maybe she could outrun aging, right along with her manuscript. She picked up her pace until she felt a soft burn in her calf muscles. She wasn’t inclined toward jogging or running, but she relished a cardio high.

She entered a nearby park, planning to stick to the paved path that cut through it. She passed a man and woman with two children. The girl was on a swing while the boy played in the sandbox. Their guardians paid them little attention. Both had their heads bent forward, their faces toward their phones.

It was sad how obsessed people were with their phones while their lives in the flesh-and-blood world passed them by. The seconds continued to pass, the minutes, the hours, the days… the years. Life was over in a blur. Possibly one reason people sought the distraction that electronics provided.

But Sara couldn’t escape the reality of death—not when it was her day job. She also had what most would consider a morbid pastime. She loved reading obituaries and sinking into the lives of strangers. Reading about their accomplishments inspired her.

Sean would tease her about seeking more of the macabre after work hours. He didn’t understand her desire to write a murder mystery either, but that shouldn’t be any of his concern. She viewed it as her outlet to escape. After all, the world she created and wielded at will constantly evolved at her fingertips.

The mystery of death may fascinate her, but so what? It might have to do with never knowing her birth parents. Her father, who had been raising her alone, died in a car accident when she was just a baby, and her mother’s only contribution had been birthing Sara. Sara found this out at age thirteen, after her adoptive parents, Jeannie and Leon Cain, traced her heritage. Her mother’s name was Monica Wilcox, but otherwise she remained a mystery.

These thoughts were bouncing around in her head when a beagle came out of nowhere and ran into her leg.

“Hey there, little fella.”

The tricolor hound wasn’t a stranger to her. She’d seen him before, even knew where he lived. She looked around. There was no sign of his owner, a miserable coot who was always scowling. The dog may have decided to go off leash to do some mind clearing of his own.

“We better get you back—” She bent over to grab the dog’s collar, but he darted away and ran across the lawn toward the baseball diamond. She’d call out his name if she knew it.

“Come here, boy. Here.” She clapped the front of her thighs.

The dog paid her no attention, bounding across the freshly mowed grass.

She looked down at her new running shoes—a brilliant white she’d prefer to keep. The dog really wasn’t her responsibility, but outside of the park, city streets and the vehicles that came with them posed a danger. She’d never forgive herself if he got injured.

She whistled for him, but his tail pointed in the air as he put his nose to the ground.

“Here goes…” She traipsed toward the dog. Stopped walking.

He had lifted his head and stood there watching her.

“Oh no. Don’t you dare run.”

Of course, that was exactly what he did—barreling toward her, then juking out of reach at the last second. This was a game to him. She became a tangle of arms and legs, trying to corral a twenty-pound beagle. She could use some help. A quick glance at the playground confirmed the man, woman, and children stood watching her escapade. Not that any of them made a move to assist.

The boy cried out, “Doggy!” followed by an outburst of giggles.

For the cuteness of the beagle, or in response to her antics

Not that it mattered now; she was committed to catching the dog. A few more bumbled attempts at reaching for its collar before victory. She looked at the family again, as if expecting applause, but they were gone.

No good deed…

“All right, little guy…” He had a name tag on his collar, which she flipped over in her hand. “Magnum.” Huh. “Nice name. How about we take you home?”

The dog made no argument, but it wouldn’t be much fun walking hunched over for half a block. She reached the path and noticed her shoes. Not a brilliant white anymore, but grass-stained like an abstract painter had gone wild with green paint. Her stomach sank. She liked her things nice and neat, organized, presentable. She’d have to put in some elbow grease scrubbing them, but hopefully with a pinch of luck…

She carried on, walking down the street, curious if any onlookers had surfaced from their devices long enough to pay her any heed and find humor in her situation.

“Almost there.” The redbrick home was a few houses down. She climbed onto the front porch. “We did it, Magnum.” She reached the door, prepared to knock, but it was cracked open. Guess the mystery of how the beagle had gotten loose was solved. “Hello?” she called out. “I have your dog, Magnum.”

She listened. Nothing.

Instinct told her to stay put. But what if the dog’s owner needed medical attention?

“Albany Police, I’m coming in.” She wasn’t there in an official capacity, but if the man was conscious, her presence shouldn’t frighten him.

Sara let go of Magnum’s collar and pushed the door with her elbow—a habit formed on the job to preserve evidence at a crime scene. But surely, that wouldn’t be an issue here. Blame the job for her cynicism and seeing murder everywhere she went.

“Hello?” she repeated.

As she opened the door farther, silence and the faint hint of a woman’s floral perfume greeted her. It became clear why her shouts were not getting a response.

Magnum’s owner lay on the entry floor. Dead. A large bloody gash on his head. Sara looked around, seeing nothing that could have caused the injury. This wasn’t an accident.

She looked at Magnum, now sitting next to his master. “Well, you certainly got my mind off my book.”

And right onto murder…

GIVEAWAY

As part of the blog tour for Bowled Over Americano, there's a giveaway. Enter using the link or Rafflecopter widget below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

The Little Shop of Murders (Cozy Mystery Collection) – Guest Post by Millie Ravensworth

Today, I’m featuring a collection of cozy mysteries by a host of authors. A few names ring a bell and I’m looking to read a different book by Victoria Tait later in May.

The Little Shop of Murders features authors Millie Ravensworth, ACF Bookens, Geraldine Byrne, Rachel McLean, Diane Kelly, Nikki Knight, London Lovett, Lise McClendon, Flora McGowan, Kathryn Mykel, J. New, Eryn Scott, Debbie Young, Victoria Tait, and Carlene O’Connor.

This post is part of a blog tour with Escape With Dolly Cas into a Good Book. It includes a synopsis of The Little Shop of Murders, a guest post by author Millie Ravensworth, and a short bio for all the authors included in the collection.

 

About The Little Shop of Murders

Book shops, boutiques and small businesses are the lifeblood of small towns but what secrets lie behind those pretty display windows and in the alleyways behind these charming streets?

Publisher: Pigeon Park Press

Publication date: 1 April, 2023

Length: 260 pages

ASIN:‎ B0BVG2LM9H

 

Step inside for a personal retail experience like no other!

‘The Little Shop of Murders’ collects together 15 superb cozy mysteries written by some of the finest authors in the genre.

All author and publisher profits from the sale of this book go to children’s charities, helping those most in need.

Stories include:

Don’t Toy with Me by Diane Kelly

A Man With No Imagination by Millie Ravensworth

The Forget-Me-Not Antiques Mystery by Victoria Tait

It Was Our Song by Nikki Knight

Always and Furever by Eryn Scott

Wild Irish Dreams by Lise McClendon

Architect of a Murder by Carlene O’Connor

Blooms and Blackmail by London Lovett

Secondhand Murder by J. New

The Lady of the House by Flora McGowan

Requiem for a Violin by Geraldine Byrne

Nightly Nuisance by Kathryn Mykel

The Gift of Dragons by ACF Bookens

Nowhere to Hide by Debbie Young

Murder in the Bookshop by Rachel McLean

 

Guest post by Millie Ravensworth

Kissing a Lot of Frogs: How to Navigate a Charity Shop

 

My story in the Little Shop of Murders is based on characters in my on-going series, The Cozy Craft mysteries, which all centre around a sewing shop. I adore sewing shops, and finding a good one makes me very happy.

Shops are fascinating places in real life and as locations for stories and there’s one type of shop that I can’t resist. If I go to a town that I’m not familiar with, then I MUST have an hour to look at their charity shops, otherwise I come away disappointed.

It’s endlessly fascinating to me how charity shops are essentially all doing the same thing and yet they are each so very different.

There is treasure to be found there, and I’ll share my thoughts and tips on how you might find it.

·       Where is it located? Places that lend themselves to people clearing a house (easy parking, near to a recycling centre) will have a high turnover and get donations that are older.

·       How heavily curated is it? Sometimes you go into a charity shop and it is filled with things from Ikea and maybe racks of new goods that support the charity. I tend to love these places less than the ones run by older people who will put mad, ancient things out for sale on the basis that someone might want it.

·       Search for scrapstores if you are a hobbyist. These slightly more specialised places will knock you off your feet with the supplies they have at great prices.

·       Once you have found a good place, here are some ideas for searching:

o   Vintage cutlery is stronger than modern cutlery. If you ever need to mash an avocado, there’s a decent chance you will bend a pressed steel fork. Grab a big old solid one (you might need to dive into a stabby box of kitchen implements) and you will find it really useful in the kitchen. Vintage knives, with their rounded, blunt blades are great for spreading butter.

o   Books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl. Check them out. A cheap, fun way to be entertained. Consume & return. Do a lucky dip! I slightly regret not getting English Madrigals from the courts of Elizabeth I and James I on vinyl

o   Tools are expensive things to buy new. I enjoy the idea of these hardworking things having been in other people’s hands as they fixed things. 

·       Look at linens. House clearances often contain those beautiful gift tea towels that have never been used.

·       When you look through the clothes, be alert to the fabrics, especially if you sew. Beautiful natural fibres can be re-used

·       Play the “what on earth is this object?” game. Asking out loud is a fun way to engage with other people. You might even get answers.

·       The risk of buyer’s regret is low. You can bring something back when you tire of it and that’s fine.

Just remember that (as per the title) you will need to keep kissing those frogs in order to turn up the real treasure, but what a delight when you find something amazing!

 

All of the pictures were taken at the Age UK Re-use shop located at the tip in Dordon, Warwickshire, on the day of writing this article. Here is a picture of the treasure that I ended up buying:

• A vintage Singer zig-zagger with cams. I was over the moon to find this. It’s a “unicorn” of mine that I have coveted for some time. I paid £20 (my fault, I always urge them to charge more for vintage sewing things...I reap what I sow) but these generally change hands for about £50 so I am happy with this extravagance
• A terrarium £6
• A vintage Vogue cape sewing pattern. This was essentially free once I got to the till, with rounding :-)

 

Meet the authors of The Little Shop of Murders

Victoria Tait

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, UK, and never expected to travel the world.  She’s drawn on her experiences following her military husband to write cozy murder mystery books with vivid and evocative settings.

Her determined female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and you’ll experience surprises, humour and sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings.

Link to My Dotty Sayers Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TMJFL7L

 

Carlene O’Connor

Carlene O’Connor is the USA Today bestselling author of The Irish Village Mysteries, Home to Ireland Mysteries, and the new County Kerry Mystery series. Her mysteries have been translated into German, Estonia, and UK markets thus far and the Irish Village Mysteries have been optioned for television.

Readers are encouraged to get in touch via Facebook, Goodreads, Book Bub, or through the contact form on CarleneOConnor.net. An admitted wanderer, Carlene spends as much time in Ireland as possible while currently residing in California and Chicago. She is always up for joining events via Zoom or in person.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Carlene-OConnor/author/B01BJ1KOFY

 

Eryn Scott

Eryn Scott is the author of heartwarming cozy mysteries. Her Whiskers and Words cozy mystery series features deep friendships, strong families, a tight-knit small town, twisty mysteries, and a whole lot of adorable cats. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest with a handful of beloved animals. She enjoys knitting, hiking, skiing, horseback riding, and reading.

Link to my series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LTWVPTG?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks

 

Flora McGowan

Flora McGowan is the author of the Carrie and Keith Mysteries, novels and short stories. Her stories combine a mix of mystery with the mystical and supernatural, often with an historical element as well as a touch of humour and a dash of romance.

Flora was born in Dorset and has spent most, but not all, of her life there, and many of her stories are based in this locale. Flora enjoys travelling, taking inspiration from the places she visits.  You can catch up with Flora via Goodreads, her blog, Facebook, Instagram or BookBub.

 

Nikki Knight

Nikki Knight describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York City's top all-news radio station, 1010 WINS, she writes mysteries including LIVE, LOCAL, AND DEAD, a Vermont Radio Mystery from Crooked Lane, and as Kathleen Marple Kalb, the Ella Shane and Old Stuff series.

Her short stories appear online and in anthologies, and have been short-listed for Black Orchid Novella and Derringer Awards. She, her husband and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

Book link:  Live, Local, and Dead (A Vermont Radio Mystery) : Knight, Nikki: 9781643859453: Amazon.com: Books

 

Diane Kelly

Diane Kelly writes funny stories that feature feisty female lead characters and their furry, four-footed friends. Diane is the author of over three dozen novels and novellas, including the Death & Taxes white-collar crime series, the Paw Enforcement K-9 series, the House Flipper cozy mystery series, the Busted female motorcycle cop series, the Southern Homebrew moonshine series, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries series.

Find Diane online at DianeKelly.com, on Twitter and Instagram @DianeKellyBooks, and on Facebook at her Author Diane Kelly page.

Link to the first book in my House Flipper series - Dead as a Door Knocker: https://amzn.to/2oE3Epb

 

J New

J. New is the author of The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries. Immerse yourself in country house murders, dastardly deeds at English Church fetes, daring escapades in the French Riviera and the secret tunnels under London, in the award-winning series readers call, 'Miss Marple’ meets ‘The Ghost Whisperer.'

She also writes two contemporary mystery series: Tea & Sympathy featuring Lilly Tweed, former Agony Aunt now purveyor of fine teas and Finch & Fischer with mobile librarian Penny Finch and her rescue dog Fischer at the helm. Jacquie lives in the North of England with her partner and an assortment of rescue animals.

 

London Lovett

London Lovett is a cozy mystery author and connoisseur of delicious baked goods.

Many readers have called her Port Danby Cozy Mystery series a 'new favorite'. Port Danby features a small town florist with a powerful sense of smell. Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton uses her impressive nose to help solve crimes as an amateur sleuth alongside her detective boyfriend, James Briggs. Blooms and Blackmail is a Port Danby short story.

You can keep up with London's books and access some delicious recipes on her website: www.londonlovett.com

Link to Marigolds and Murder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075NB3B54

 

Debbie Young

Debbie Young writes two popular cozy mystery series featuring Sophie Sayers, set in a Cotswold village, and Gemma Lamb, set at a girls’ boarding school. One book in each series was shortlisted for the Bookbrunch Selfies Awards for the best independently-published fiction in the UK.

She is founder of the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival, UK Ambassador for the Alliance of Independent Authors, and a course tutor for Jericho Writers. She writes in the Plotting Shed at the bottom of her cottage garden.

Her novels are now published by Boldwood Books and she is represented by the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BBQHC2G1

Here's the Amazon UK link for the whole series

Connect with the author via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

ACF Bookens

ACF Bookens lives in Virginia’s Southwestern Mountains with two hound dogs and a very energetic preschooler. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching shows with teenagers who are way cooler than she ever was and cross-stitch.  You can find her books at acfbookens.com

Link to my first book on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XVQDQ58/

 

Kathryn Mykel

Kathryn Mykel is the author of the Award-Winning Sewing Suspicion - A Quilting Cozy Mystery. Kathryn is inspired by the laugh-out-loud and fanciful aspects of cozies. Kathryn Mykel aims to write lighthearted, humorous cozies surrounding her passion for the craft of quilting. Born and raised in a small New England town—Kathryn is an avid quilter.

Sewing Suspicion - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HVC4K2N

 

Lise McCLendon

Lise McClendon is the author of numerous novels of crime and suspense. Her bestselling Bennett Sisters Mysteries continue to charm readers worldwide. Her first mystery series was set in Jackson, Wyoming, featuring art dealer, Alix Thorssen.

When not writing about foreign lands and dastardly criminals, Lise lives in Montana with her husband and has recently become a fan of sunny winters in the desert. She enjoys fly fishing, hiking, picking raspberries in the summer, and cross-country skiing in the winter.

McClendon has served on the national boards of directors of Mystery Writers of America and the International Association of Crime Writers/North America, as well as the faculty of the Jackson Hole Writers Conference.

Books: Bennett Sisters Mysteries: https://amzn.to/3Iyijt8. Alix Thorssen series: https://amzn.to/3W05kmY

 

Geraldine Byrne

Geraldine Moorkens Byrne is an Irish mystery writer, poet and educator. She lives with her family in Dublin where many of her stories are set, especially The Caroline Jordan series.

When not dreaming up modern murder mysteries, she knits, crochets and teaches classes on Irish folk traditions. Until 2021 she owned Ireland’s oldest family-owned music shop, the basis for “Requiem for a Violin.” Mrs. O’Brien and friends will return in their own series in 2023, The Music Shop Mysteries.

She also writes a magical cosy mystery series, The Old Bat Chronicles under the pen name Nina Hayes.

Geraldine Moorkens Byrne   Author@celebratingwords.com  Www.CelebratingWords.com

 

Millie Ravensworth

Millie Ravensworth has been writing (and sewing!) for years, and it seemed like a natural step to combine the two things in a series of cozy mysteries. She lives in England and has an adorable dog who likes to be at her side when she is sewing / writing, but he'd much rather she played fetch with his favourite toy!

Izzy King and Penny Slipper who appear in the story in this collection can also be found in the Cozy Craft Mystery books that are available to read now.

Find her on Amazon and Twitter.

 

Rachel McLean

Rachel McLean is an award-winning crime author who writes UK-based police procedurals. She is best known for the Dorset Crime series and the DI Zoe Finch series set in her home city of Birmingham. Book 1 in the Dorset Crime series, The Corfe Castle Murders, won the Kindle Storyteller Award 2021. Her new McBride and Tanner series is set around Loch Lomond in Scotland. Link to Zoe books: https://geni.us/zoefinch

A full bibliography and reading order can be found at www.rachelmclean.com/bibliography  

 

Keep up with the rest of the blog tour including spotlights, book reviews, and guest posts:

3 April – Spotlight via Brooke Blogs & Author Guest Post via Reading Is My SuperPower

4 April – Book Review & Author Guest Post via Cozy Up with Kathy & Spotlight via Maureen's Musings

5 April – Spotlight via Celticlady's Reviews & Author Guest Post via Nadaness In Motion

6 April – Spotlight via I’m into Books & Author Guest Post via Socrates Book Reviews

7 April – Author Guest Post via Ascroft, eh? & Book review via View from the Birdhouse

8 April – Book Review via StoreyBook Reviews & Author Guest Post via Escape With DollycasInto A Good Book

9 April – Spotlight via #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee & Book Review via Guatemala Paula Loves to Read

10 April – Spotlight via Ruff Drafts & Book review & Author Guest Post via Carla Loves To Read

11 April - Author Guest Post via Christy's Cozy Corners & Spotlight via Sapphyria's Book Reviews

12 April – Spotlight via Baroness Book Trove & Book Review via Novels Alive

13 April – Book Review via FUONLYKNEW & Spotlight via Hearts & Scribbles

14 April – Spotlight via Literary Gold

15 April – Spotlight via MJB Reviewers & Book review & Author Guest Post via Rebecca Douglass, Author

16 April – Spotlight via The Mystery Section