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