Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Stone Cold Murder by Kris Bock. This book is the first in the Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery series and will be released next week.

Petra Cloch has the gift of psychometry. By touching objects she can discern the feelings and even some basic thoughts of whoever previously held the items. Sometimes a gift is more like a curse. Not having complete control of the ability, nor wishing others to think she's crazy, Petra prefers to keep to herself, enjoying the company of her animals rather than trying to form friendships. But when she moves from Seattle to New Mexico to work in the Banditt Museum, replacing their recently deceased geologist, things change. While cleaning her new office she picks up a crystal specimen and is flooded with images and feelings...all negative. Perhaps her predecessor's death wasn't so natural after all. Performing his job, living in the house he rented, is it possible she could be in danger? Compelled to find out more about the man, Petra starts to wonder about new co-workers. Could these friendly people actually become friends or is one of them a killer?

Murder on Oak Street - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Daniel O’Halleran to Cozy Up With Kathy. You can find Daniel on the pages of Murder on Oak Street by I. M. Foster. This book is the first in the South Shore Mystery series.

Dr. Daniel O’Halleran’s First Impression of Patchogue
By I. M. Foster

Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Daniel O’Halleran, and I’ve been asked to relate what prompted me to make the move to Long Island, as well as what my first impressions of Patchogue were. Regarding the first part of your question, there were really two reasons I decided to relocate. The indirect cause was my growing frustration with my job as a coroner’s physician in New York City. As coroners were not required to be doctors, the city employed physicians, such as myself, to determine the actual cause of death in suspicious cases. Alas, the system was overworked, resulting in many of my recommendations being poorly investigated or altogether ignored for the sake of expediency. But the thing that finally put the nail in the coffin, as it were, came when my intended left me standing at the altar. In retrospect, my guardian angel was certainly watching over me that day, for looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened. But enough of that. You also asked about my first impressions of Patchogue, Long Island.

To be honest, I’m not sure what I expected—a small country hamlet with a few stores on the main street perhaps. But the village I have come to call my home far exceeded whatever my imagination might have conjured up.

The Long Island Railroad has a stop right in the village, which is quite convenient, and I was met at a quaint but bustling station by my new employer, Dr. Sam Tennyson. From there we traveled a few blocks to my rooms on East Main Street. The Roe Hotel is quite a modern place and would rival many of the elegant hotels I have seen in New York City. Located in the center of town, it affords me easy access to Main Street and its establishments and offers all the comforts of home. Not only is there electric lighting throughout, but it boasts functioning indoor toilets and running water as well. I am told, it is also fitted with steam heating, though as the weather has become warmer, I cannot attest to that as yet. In addition, the hotel has an excellent dining room, billiard parlor, and a stable out back for ease in requesting transportation. Which reminds me, I really need to purchase my own horse and doctor’s buggy.

The cuisine in the restaurant downstairs is excellent cuisine, and the prices are quite reasonable, as is attested by the number of visitors that fill the hotel’s rooms on a regular basis. It appears the village is a popular destination for city folks who wish to escape the stifling heat of summer. One group that makes regular visits are the cyclists that pedal out from the city on weekends with the Roe Hotel as their destination. After enjoying a few days by the shore, they either pedal back to the city, or in many cases, take the railroad. I’m of a mind that the latter is a popular mode for the return trip since the Long Island Railroad has equipped special cars to accommodate their bicycles.

The village’s resort status does explain the number of hotels and restaurants. But I discovered one of its most enduring qualities the day after I arrived. That morning, I took a stroll down Ocean Avenue and was pleased to discover that the shore was but a few short blocks away. Patchogue sits on the Great South Bay, you see, and as such is allowing the gentle breezes that flow over a barrier island from the Atlantic Ocean to blow away the troubles of the day. A short ferry ride will bring me to Fire Island, and if I’m feeling playful, I can frolic in the Atlantic Ocean itself. Today, however, I’m sitting along the Great South Bay and contemplating the most endearing quality the village has to offer—Miss Kathleen Brissedon. But there I go again, getting off track.

A number of hotels and boarding houses line Main Street and Ocean Avenue, though, with the exception of a few like the Roe Hotel, most are only open during the summer season, truly giving the village the feel of a resort. I can see three of them as I sit here enjoying the early summer breezes: the Clifton House, the Ocean Avenue Hotel, and the Mascot House. All offer excellent accommodations, as well as summer activities, such as crochet and tennis. The Clifton House, for example, could accommodate 300 guests with views of the bay for as little as $2.50 a day or $15.00 a week. Tennis, crochet, and archery could be played on its vast lawn or the guests could enjoy a walk along the boardwalk. And for those not staying in the hotels, there are bathing pavilions to change into your bathing costumes. Why not just wear your swimming outfit to the beach? It may be 1904, but there is still some level of modesty required. One does not walk the streets in a bathing costume.

Heading back into the heart of the village along the brick-paved streets, I might stop for a bite to eat at Newins Restaurant or an egg cream at McBride’s Pharmacy, touted as having the largest and best soda fountain in all of Suffolk County. Or maybe spend a moment at Ginoochio’s and pick up a nice batch of strawberries before visiting Miss Brissedon at the local library. In addition to general stores like Hammond and Mills, the village includes a tailor and shoemaker and shops specializing in clothing. I just bought an everyday suit at C. F. Howell’s Furnishings for gents, though I’ll see the tailor, Mr. Stark when I’m ready for a good suit. I have been considering taking a look in Swezey’s Department store for a ready-made suit, however, just to use for recreational activities like bicycling.

Swezey’s is a large store of multiple floors, containing just about any item you might want, much like Macy’s department store in Manhattan. Mother is pleased to hear there is a theater, and Father enjoys the apple turnovers from Schoenfeld’s bakery that I bring along whenever I make a visit to Brooklyn.

In addition to the individual shops, Patchogue is also known for some larger concerns. Bailey’s Lumber Yard is the largest lumber yard on Long Island and has its own boats and railroad cars to ship its goods all over New York. And a bit further down on West Main, the Lace Mill produced the nation’s finest lace curtains and tablecloths and supplied jobs for hundreds of local residents.

I’d best get going now if I hope to catch Miss Brissedon at the library, especially since I plan to stop by Al Seitz’s Tonsorial Parlor for a haircut and close shave. I want to look my best for Miss Brissedon. Perhaps we can catch the ferry across to Fire Island for a picnic.

*********************************************************************

 Murder on Oak Street (A South Shore Mystery) by I. M. Foster

About Murder on Oak Street 

Murder on Oak Street (A South Shore Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - New York
Publisher: ‎ Inez M. Foster (November 12, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 503 pages

New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O'Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it's time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.

Though the coroner advises him that life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.

Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?

About I. M. Foster

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth-century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who love to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.

Author Links: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IMFosterMysteries  

X: https://www.x.com/IMFosterMystery  

Threads: https://www.threads.net/imfosterauthor  

Purchase Link - Amazon 

 

Beds, Breakfasts, and Beta Blockers - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Jann Franklin to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Jann writes the Three Dog Mystery series. BEDS, BREAKFASTS, AND BETA BLOCKERS is the first book in the series.

Kathy: In BEDS, BREAKFASTS, AND BETA BLOCKERS Ro Bergeron inherits her childhood home and decides to open a bed and breakfast for humans and their canine friends. I tell my mom I'm going to keep my childhood home and turn it into the Kathy Museum. What is the status of your childhood home? Would you keep it if you could?

JF: My parents sold my childhood home when they moved to be closer to me I visited it recently, in Russellville AR with my husband. He turned to me and said “I had no idea you grew up rich.” I said, “Neither did I.” My parents couldn’t afford to live in that house now, if they bought it. But it’s nice to see that my childhood home went wayyyy up in value and didn’t turn into a bad neighborhood


Kathy: Ro can’t boil an egg or keep a plant alive, yet she intends to open a B&B. Have you ever tried something despite being totally unqualified? 

 

JF: HA! Yes…motherhood. But my boys turned out well, despite my total lack of skills and training.


Kathy: I love the fact that the B&B will welcome canine friends too. At the moment I just share my home with my cats who would not want to travel. Do you have any pets? Do they travel with you? 

 

JF: The dogs in my book are literally my dogs! Sadie travels with us. If you read the passages in the story about Rebel and Ruger , you’d know why we don’t take the Labs


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

 

JF: I LOVE Murder She Wrote, Psych, Monk. And the older series Hart to Hart, McMillan and Wife, Rockford Files. They’re all about the puzzle-not the forensics. And no violence or graphic content. It’s what I love and it’s what I write

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

 

JF: I always said I can’t write romance. But…I just finished a short story telling my in-laws’ love story. It will be included in a short story collection with other authors this December, called “Love For Keeps.” I am also working on another completely fictional short love story. So…maybe I will be led to write some romance books at some point.

I also have a trilogy in the small town genre-a woman is dragged from the big city to a small town by her husband-it’s Jen’s fish out of water story of how she finds her place. It’s the Small Town Girl series (TRADING BRIGHT LIGHTS FOR LIGHTNING BUGS, SHINING STARS AND MASON JARS, CHEESE GRITS AND HISSY FITS).


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

 

JF: This is my first in series. Ro has been sheltered - never encouraged to spread her wings and fly. The ones who raised her have passed on, and she’s decided to venture out into the world, by opening her bed and breakfast. Her great aunts drag her into a murder case, fancying themselves as Jessica Fletcher, but Ro finds she enjoys it. The 2nd will be out in September -INNKEEPERS AND IMPOSTERS.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

 

JF: Yes-twins. I love writing the 70 year old twins, Min and Win. They don’t care what people think and are self appointed matriarchs of the small town of Belle Bayou. That seems wonderful to me-just doing whatever you want and saying what you think. They come across mean sometimes but their hearts are on the right place.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

JF: Several! Our 300 person town has a bed and breakfast and I’m friends with the innkeeper. I’ve heard stories! I thought constant flow of new people would add to a traditional cozy mystery.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

 

JF: My husband said my writing is good and I should publish a book. He had no idea of the monster he was creating!


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? 

JF: Ooh! Jane Austen and Agatha Christie for sure!! Agatha is the OG of cozy mysteries And then Harlem Coben and Lee Childs-they are author royalty to me. And Tosca Lee because she’s so nice - I’ve met her before and she’s wonderful. She’d probably stay after and help me do the dishes


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

JF: Jonathan Kellerman’s CRIME SCENE. Our library had books on sale for a quarter and I’m a sucker for a good deal.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? 

 

JF: Uh, well , my hobbies are my loved ones. I spend any free time with my husband, 2 sons and DILs, dogs, chickens, friends. Our small town always has something fun going on and we try to be there.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. 

 

JF: Eggs-thank you chickens! Nonfat yogurt, popcorn and Bluebell vanilla ice cream. Most meals are a freefall, Sunday evenings are always popcorn and ice cream.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? 

 

JF: Oh my gosh YES! I have a new series coming out this year, Letters to Santa. The first book, THE CASE OF THE MISSING SISTER, will be out in July. Then another book every year around Thanksgiving. I plan to continue both of my series Small Town Girl Mysteries (Book 6 in June) and Three Dog Mysteries (Book 2 in September) I want to write another series about a couple with a food truck who solves mysteries as they travel to festivals, the Grab n’ Go Mysteries. Just got to find the time….


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author? 

 

JF: My readers - they are so lovely! I pose a question to my newsletter subscribers and they email the most wonderful stories-and receive a free book for their time. I also love interacting on social media.

**********************************************************************

Review

BEDS, BREAKFASTS, AND BETA BLOCKERS by Jann Franklin
The First Three Dog Mystery 

Rose Louise Bergeron is different. Some might call her weird. Having been raised by her grandparents after her parents ran off she prefers classic movies and real books to pop culture and e-readers. An old soul she's content to remain in the small town of Belle Bayou, Louisiana. Now that her grandparents have both died, Ro decided to turn the family home into a B&B, one that welcomes dogs as well as people. Never mind that she doesn't know how to cook. Or that she knows nothing about dogs. She's booked her first guests and she's ready to learn! While she's preparing to become a business woman the talk around town is the suspicious death of Mr. Tippin, Ro's high school algebra teacher. Was it murder? Ro's great aunts are determined to find out, roping Ro into their investigation. It can't be that hard to learn how to cook, corral a posse of dogs, host paying guests, and solve a murder. Can it?

Admittedly, I wasn't too sure about Rose Louise at first. Her naivete was a bit much. But as I continued reading she really grew on me, as naive and silly as she was, she truly cared and wanted to improve and make it on her own. She had just never been given the tools to do so. Aunties Min and Win are an absolute hoot and I love how they can be genteel southern ladies and yet are true crime mavens to boot! Poor cousin Marshall, a rare voice of reason. And what a couple Ro's first guests are. I loved how they fit right in! And I absolutely love Sadie and the coyotes! I hope we get to meet Cousin Rooster in future books. While some of the premises are indeed silly, they lightened my heart and made me laugh! I'm still giggling about the reason for the change in church service times.

While the murder was mentioned early on at first Ro wasn't involved in investigating at all. Heaven knows she had enough on her plate. However, with pushes from her great aunts, also known as the Bossies, and her guests Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh, Ro becomes a reluctant sleuth. Although soon, she's not that reluctant! I love how they all worked together as a team, harebrained schemes and all!

Quirky characters and laugh out loud moments make BEDS, BREAKFASTS, AND BETA BLOCKERS a delightfully funny romp through small town Louisiana.

**********************************************************************

 Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers (Three Dog Mysteries) by Jann Franklin

About Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers

Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers (Three Dog Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Louisiana
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published (February 20, 2025)
Language: ‎ English Paperback: ‎ 238 pages

Ro Bergeron’s grandparents raised her to be, well, helpless. She can’t boil an egg or keep a plant alive. When Ro inherits her childhood home, she decides to open a bed and breakfast for humans and their canine friends. Running a business catering to people is a big undertaking for thirty-two year old Ro—let alone pets too—yet with faith she is confident she can handle it. She even has her first guests booked for the coming weekend!

But when her meddlesome great aunts find the opportunity to solve a local murder too irresistible, Ro's new life as a business owner is turned upside-down! As Min and Win Rascoe indulge their sleuthing skills, a reluctant Ro and her enthusiastic house guests are drawn into the mystery.

Will the Rascoe sisters and their unconventional team solve the murder before Ro’s high school crush Detective Jason Charbonnet? Can Ro master the skills of cooking and hosting? Will life for Ro in the tiny town of Belle Bayou ever be the same?

This book is the first of the Three Dog Mystery Series.

About Jann Franklin

Jann Franklin is a faith-based cozy mystery writer living in northwest Louisiana with slightly less than three hundred other people. Many of her stories are based on the tales she hears from residents.

She and her husband John enjoy Sundays at church, dinner with family and friends, and watching the lightning bugs in their backyard. Their kids come to visit, when they aren’t too busy living their big-city lives. Visit her at www.jannfranklin.com

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://jannfranklin.com  

Blog: https://jannfranklin.com/blog  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jannfranklinauthor  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jannfranklinauthor/  

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22583014.Jann_Franklin  

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jann-franklin  

Purchase Link - Amazon 

Murder on the Mississippi - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release. Murder on the Mississippi by Erik S. Meyers is the second book in the Sally Witherspoon Mystery series and was released this week. Be sure to stop by the blog May 9, 2025 when I'll be posting my review.

Blurb:

Six months after the events in Death in the Ozarks, Sally Witherspoon is trying to put that terrible time behind her. She books a river cruise down the Mississippi to get away and relax.

Unfortunately, relaxation is not to be as she's called on to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that occurs on board.

A combination of Cheers bartender and Miss Marple, Sally Witherspoon is as determined as ever to solve it.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Beds, Breakfasts, and Beta Blockers by Jann Franklin. This is the first book in the Three Dog Mystery series and was released earlier this year.

Rose Louise Bergeron is different. Some might call her weird. Having been raised by her grandparents after her parents ran off she prefers classic movies and real books to pop culture and e-readers. An old soul she's content to remain in the small town of Belle Bayou, Louisiana. Now that her grandparents have both died, Ro decided to turn the family home into a B&B, one that welcomes dogs as well as people. Never mind that she doesn't know how to cook. Or that she knows nothing about dogs. She's booked her first guests and she's ready to learn! While she's preparing to become a business woman the talk around town is the suspicious death of Mr. Tippin, Ro's high school algebra teacher. Was it murder? Ro's great aunts are determined to find out, roping Ro into their investigation. It can't be that hard to learn how to cook, corral a posse of dogs, host paying guests, and solve a murder. Can it?

Murder at the Dog Park - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Rochester to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Rochester on the pages of DEATH AT THE DOGPARK by Neil S. Plakcy and Joanna Campbell Slan. This book, comprised of two novellas, was released last month.

Rochester’s Puppyhood
A Golden Retriever Mystery Prequel
Copyright 2024 Neil S. Plakcy. All rights reserved. 

 

My name is Rochester, and I am not one of those talking dogs who narrate mystery novels. I’m just a golden retriever with a nose for crime, and I have a human who is smart enough to take the clues I provide him with and bring bad people to justice.

You’d be surprised how many bad people we run into in the small town where we live, and the college conference center that Steve runs. I’ve run out of toes to count them on—nineteen since he and I first hooked up four years ago.

I don’t like to complain, but I had a rough puppyhood. Born in a litter of twelve, I had to push my way forward to get my share of mama’s milk. For a long time after that, I had a tendency to gobble my food, afraid some other dog might come along and steal it.

Then I had to suffer having a red bandanna tied around my neck as I posed for pictures in the hope that some human would buy me.

Yes, I was originally sold, like a bag of dog chow. The young couple who purchased me were too busy with their own lives, and their newborn baby, to give me proper training and exercise, and after only a few months they got tired of my enthusiasm, my need to get out into the world to pee and sniff, and the golden hair that flew off me at the slightest wiggle of my growing body.

I’ve always loved going out in the car, so I wasn’t suspecting anything the day they asked me to hop in the back of their minivan. I sat up on my hind paws to look out the back window, not realizing that was going to be my last view of the place I’d called home for six months.

Instead of going to the park or the veterinarian’s office, we stopped at a big square building that reverberated with the sounds of dogs barking and howling. A nice lady took my leash and led me into the back of the building, and tried to put me in a cage.

Now, I’d been crate-trained, so I was accustomed to the small surroundings. But my crate at home had a cushion, and I could look through the bars to see my human pack. But this cage was all metal and had no cushion, and there were strange dogs on both sides.

I planted my paws on the ground and resisted being pushed into the cage, but the lady was stronger than she looked and she shoved me inside and closed the door.

I sat at the front of my cage peering through the wire, wondering where my humans were. It took me a whole day to realize they weren’t coming back. Even so, every time humans came through looking at the dogs in their cages, I kept hoping to recognize a familiar smell. That maybe they’d changed their minds.

But they never came back, and eventually I forgot what they looked like and smelled like. I didn’t like the shelter. Too many other dogs competing for attention, and the smells were overwhelming for a sensitive nose like mine. I slept on concrete, inside a wire cage, with only a water bowl for company. Every day, humans paraded past me as if I was an exhibit at a county fair, commenting about my square head, and the pile of fur that was always around me. (I tend to shed when I’m nervous.)

The most frequent comment was about the size of my paws. Some humans thought I might be part Great Pyrenees because they were so big, and others were frightened that I’d grow too large. One man even called me Howard Huge. I rarely growl, but that comment got a snarl from me.

I was pleased when Caroline Kelly took me out of my cage for a brief walk. She was a lovely human, older than my previous humans and hopefully more mature. and I loved the way she smelled, how soft her hands were, and how she came down to my level to pet me. I did my best to make her love me in the half-hour we walked around the outside yard, and I romped around her.

I remember she knelt down beside me and whispered in my ear. “What a handsome boy you are,” she said. “Would you like to come home with me?”

Would I ever!

She gave me the name Rochester, after a romantic hero in a book she loved. She confided in me, especially after she’d had a bad date. “I’m going to take myself off the marriage market,” she said. “Dogs never come home drunk. They never complain about your cooking and they’re happy when your friends come over.”

By the time I went home with her, I’d taught myself to do my business outside (my previous owners hadn’t bothered with any training). She rewarded me with treats, and loved to take long walks with me. She didn’t mind brushing me, often while we snuggled on the floor listening to the happy pop music she liked. A few times we even danced, me on my hind legs, her holding my paws.

At last, I felt like I’d found my true home. But then one day we were out walking on a long strip of land that connected our community, River Bend, to the main street. We had park on both sides of us, so there was a lot to sniff, and I had my head down to the ground when I heard a couple of very loud noises.

Suddenly Caroline fell to the ground and let go of my leash. She wouldn’t get up even when I licked her face and barked at her. I took off back toward River Bend to find someone to help her.

I was lucky that the first human I found was her next-door neighbor, Steve Levitan. I’d met Steve a couple of times before and he didn’t seem to like me very much, because he thought I was too wild.

He grabbed my leash and let me drag him back to Caroline’s body. My poor human was dead, and I had nowhere else to go, so Steve’s friend Rick, the police detective investigating her murder, convinced him to let me stay with him for a few days.

That was just enough time to convince him to help me find the people who killed Caroline, and to get him to fall in love with me the way Caroline had. He’d been through a bad time himself, and I like to think I taught him how to love again and move forward with his life.

With me taking the lead, of course.

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 Death at the Dogpark Kindle Edition by Neil S. Plakcy & Joanna Campbell Slan

About Death at the Dogpark 

Death at the Dogpark
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: ‎ Samwise Books (March 13, 2025)
Paperback: ‎ 192 pages

Two gripping novellas explore murder, mystery, and mayhem at the local dog park in this unique collection from authors Neil S. Plakcy and Joanna Campbell Slan.

In "Dog's Punishment," Steve Levitan and his intuitive golden retriever Rochester uncover dark secrets when investigating the death of a controversial dog trainer. After Melissa Kawamoto is found dead at the local dog park, Steve must untangle a web of professional rivalries, stolen patents, and bitter grudges to catch a killer who turned a revolutionary training method into a deadly weapon.

In "Lamb Chopped," craft store owner Kiki Lowenstein's peaceful morning at the dog park turns horrific when her Great Dane Gracie digs up a severed hand. The discovery pulls Kiki into a disturbing investigation involving missing pets, corrupt officials, and a shadowy network trafficking shelter animals to research facilities. With help from her homicide detective husband, Kiki must expose the truth before more animals—and humans—become victims.

Both stories showcase the unbreakable bonds between humans and their canine companions while delivering clever mysteries filled with twists, turns, and compelling characters. A must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes dogs have an uncanny ability to point us toward the truth.

About Neil S. Plakcy

 

I've wanted to be an author since I was about sixteen, when a high school assignment on A Separate Peace showed me how powerful writing can be. At the University of Pennsylvania I studied creative writing with Philip Roth and Carlos Fuentes; I went on to receive my MFA from Florida International University. My first published novel was Mahu, about a Honolulu homicide detective dragged out of the closet during a tough case. I put a lot of myself into Kimo Kanapa'aka, the hero, and yet he’s very much his own character, and much better than I am! He has had a powerful hold on my imagination for many years. I love writing about him and hope to keep doing so for a long time. He’s also the source of my favorite reader question. A few years ago, someone emailed to ask if he was circumcised. My first reaction was “Man, I’ll bet Stephen King doesn’t get questions like that.” But then, his are probably even weirder. I went online and did some research and discovered that at the time Kimo was born, hospital circumcisions were common. So there you go. My path to publication was a long and checkered one, as is the case with many authors. My first published stories were magazine erotica, and I still like to keep my hand in (no pun intended) with that kind of writing. But for the most part now I write mystery and romance—all my books seem to have both those elements, though in different proportions. I began writing the golden retriever mysteries because I spent so much time walking my golden, Samwise (yes, I’m a Tolkien geek). He had so many funny habits and such a strong personality that I just knew I had to write a book that featured a dog like him. (Fortunately, Sam had no habit of finding dead bodies.) I live in Hollywood, Florida now, with my partner and our golden retrievers, Brody and Griffin.  

Author Links:

WEBSITE: www.mahubooks.com
BLOG: http://mahubooks.blogspot.com
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP4EL6
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/neil-s-plakcy
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/neilplakcy/
LINKED IN: www.linkedin.com/in/neilplakcy
SUBSTACK: https://substack.com/@goldendad
THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@neilplakcy
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@neilplakcy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@plax1612
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001JP4EL6

 

About Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna is a New York Times Bestselling, USA Today Bestselling, and Amazon Bestselling author as well as a woman prone to frequent bursts of crafting frenzy, leaving her with burns from her hot glue gun and paint on her clothes. And the mess? Let’s not even go there.

Otherwise, Joanna’s a productive author with more than 80 written projects to her credit. Her non-fiction work includes how to books, a college textbook for public speakers, and books of personal essays (think Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Currently, she writes six fiction series: The Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award Finalist, contemporary, St. Louis setting, crafting), the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series (contemporary, Florida setting, DIY, and recycling), the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 1830s England, based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic), the Sherlock Holmes Fantasy Thrillers (late 1800s, based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s books), the Tai Chi Mystery Series (featuring a mature female amateur sleuth!) and the Friday Night Mystery Series (set in Decatur, IL in 1986 with a spunky female heroine.)

A former TV talk show host, college teacher, and public relations specialist, Joanna was one of the early Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors. She won a Silver Anvil for her work on the original FarmAid concert to benefit farmers.

In her ongoing quest never to see snow again, Joanna lives with her husband and their Havanese puppy, Jax, on an island off the coast of Florida.

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Murder Strikes a Chord - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Cassidy Jamison to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Cassidy on the pages of the Pearly Girl Mystery series by Heather Weidner. MURDER STRIKES A CHORD is the first book in the series and was released

A Day in the Life of Cassidy Jamison, Owner of Celebrations at Ivy Springs
MURDER STRIKES A CHORD: A Pearly Girls Mystery
Keylight Books from Turner Publishing
By Heather Weidner

Hi, y’all. I’m Cassidy Jamison, and I own Celebrations at Ivy Springs. I’m an event planner, and my property is nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Staunton, Virginia. Guests can celebrate their special events or hold meetings, parties, or concerts in my amphitheater, serenity garden, or glamped up converted daily barn. I inherited the property from my grandparents. The property comes with some unusual history, too. It was home to my grandfather’s infamous honky-tonk that burned to the ground in the 1980s, and there’s a cave on the back of the property that is rumored to be part of an old family bootlegging tradition.

I am so fortunate to have a great team that handles everything all the reservations and decorating. My late grandmother’s Boomer friends, the Pearly Girls, grew up in the era of Jackie O and Camelot, and they got their nickname because they are never caught without their signature pearls. Ruthanne Carmichael, Aileen Roberts, Kate Carlson, and Roxie Matthews help me with all the planning and consulting, even if sometimes they offer too much advice (like trying to fix me up with any eligible bachelor in the tri-county area). But they mean well.

For a small town, we have had more than our share of excitement, and it wasn’t quite what any of us bargained for. But I guess I should start at the beginning. I was overjoyed to land a three-weekend event, the Groovin’ through the Decades concert series, featuring the Weathermen. The gals were over the moon to finally meet their favorite rockers, and the concerts with music from a variety of eras would give our bottom line a boost that would put my business in a good place for the upcoming year. Everything was planned and publicized, and then the Weathermen arrived in their giant buses with their roadies and drivers. I was happy to let them set up camp near the barn since the only motels nearby were Sid “Pro Quo” Proctor’s no-tell motels on the outskirts of town, and the gals were horrified to even mention them as a serious consideration for lodging.

On the day the buses arrived, the Pearly Girls finally recovered from acting all swoony and giggly, and we went over to meet the band and their manager. After that, the gals took advantage of every opportunity to “unexpectantly” bump into the band. The funny thing was that when I got an up-close look at the musicians, they weren’t as dreamy or polite as the gals had described.

One morning, Elvis and I went for one of our walks, and we found something strange in the serenity garden. The Weathermen’s lead singer, Johnny Storm, was floating face down in my koi pond. Definitely not a Zen moment. When word got out, there was a media frenzy, and not the kind of publicity that I ever wanted. Then the police set their sights on Roxie because she was the last person to be seen with Johnny Storm on the night of his murder.

The gals were beside themselves. I had to help Roxie clear her name. I spent the next few days poking around for clues and talking to anyone who was around on the night of the murder. The clock was ticking. I needed to solve the murder before Roxie was arrested and the curtains closed on the concert series and maybe my business.

 

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Review

 

 MURDER STRIKES A CHORD by Heather Weidner

The First Pearly Girls Mystery

 

After her grandmother died Cassidy Jamison took over her family's property making Celebrations at Ivy Springs a destination event spot in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the help of the Pearly girls, her grandmother's good friends, Celebrations hosts weddings, parties, concerts and more. Cassidy is excited to be hosting the Groovin' through the Decades music festival headlined by the Weathermen. The Pearly girls are even more excited being huge fans from back in the day. The rockers have not mellowed with age, however, not only partying far harder than Cassidy and seeming to snipe and fight each other. Still their first show was a hit and Cassidy hopes the festival will bring recognition to Celebration at Ivy Springs and tourist dollars for the town. But when she and her dog, Elvis, find the body of the lead singer dead in her koi pond, the recognition she gets may not be that welcome. And when the sheriff starts considering one of the Pearly girls guilty of murder she knows she needs to figure out who killed the frontman. 

MURDER STRIKES A CHORD proves that age is just a number and older folk can be vibrant, fun loving, and can party even harder than some decades younger! I love the Pearly girls and their zest for life. While I'm much closer in age to them than Cassidy, I relate to Cassidy's desire for early nights more than the late night partying by the others. Cassidy makes a fine protagonist. She's a competent businesswoman who knows how to delegate. She cares for her town as well as her property, preserving its history while still looking to the future. She also is a smart sleuther-limiting risks and calling in her own security detail as well as the sheriff's department when things get dicey.

 

Seventy year old rockers can still be a handful as Cassidy soon discovers. Their antics and their history provide lots of red herrings as the mystery progresses. Clues come from a variety of sources, including Cassidy's internet searches and I appreciate how she doesn't deliberately put herself in danger.

Music and memories combine in the fun debut mystery, MURDER STRIKES A CHORD. Be prepared to bop to your favorite musical hits and enjoy a laugh or two as you enjoy this trip to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

 

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 Murder Strikes a Chord: A Pearly Girls Mystery by Heather Weidner

About Murder Strikes A Chord

Murder Strikes a Chord: A Pearly Girls Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Virginia
Publisher: ‎ Keylight Books;
1st edition (March 18, 2025)
Hardcover: ‎ 256 pages

Veronica Mars meets The Golden Girls as event planner Cassidy Jamison and her four sixty-year-old employees race to solve a rocker’s murder before the curtains close on their show and their business.

When Cassidy Jamison inherited her late grandmother’s event planning business, she also inherited her grandmother’s friends—four sixty-year-old women known around town as the Pearly Girls—as part-time employees. Now Cassidy barely has time to breathe between spending every waking hour trying to keep her business afloat and the Pearly Girls out of trouble and focused on event planning.

So when she lands a three-weekend event complete with a chart-topping band, she’s thrilled. Until she and her chihuahua mix Elvis find the body of the Weathermen’s lead singer in her venue’s koi pond. With the help of the not-so-helpful Pearly Girls, Cassidy must stave off the bad publicity, navigate the prying questions of the local police department, and solve the murder before the media frenzy shutters her business for good, and takes one of the Pearly Girls with it.

About Heather Weidner

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime: National, Central Virginia, Chessie, Guppies, and Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers, and she blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

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