Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Brandi Bradley to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is Brandi's most recent book and it was released last week.

Kathy: Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is a noir novel set in an outwardly charming Southern town. What makes discovering dark secrets so intriguing?

BB: I don’t know the psychology of it, but I do know it’s why Dateline is still so popular. Around the time that the Murdough case was on everyone’s feed – like everyone I knew sent me an article about it – I remember going to my whiteboard and slapping a post-it on it that read, “The myth of the good Southern family.” Everything looks so pretty on the outside, but the inside is gross and sometimes rotten. And there is a sense of glee when powerful people fall or witnessing the process of taking down people who get too big. I think it affirms those suspicions that all those images of perfection were just a performance.


Kathy: In the book a young entrepreneur is killed and everyone points the finger at his ex-girlfriend Gabbi, a "New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting, smokeshow". That's quite a description! As someone who could also be branded as New Age and woo woo, I wonder why do these terms raise ire and cause people to assume the worst?

BB: I am also a little woo woo and I think it works on both levels. I think some people are going to be annoyed and roll their eyes, while others are going to be intrigued. Living in the south is interesting because the same people who might refer to someone as being a New Age neo-hippie with ire, are also collecting crystals or visiting a psychic once a week.


Kathy: The book is told through the shifting perspectives of three women, Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna. Why choose to do this instead of focusing on one point of view?

BB: I always knew I wanted to write from multiple viewpoints because I wanted to show how alike and different all these women were. And I liked being able to write from a biased perspective – their idea of what they witnessed and how it’s different from what another person witnessed. Years ago when I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, I loved how she had each chapter a different perspective and knew I wanted to try that.


Kathy: What first drew you to noir?

BB: I like noir because there is an inability to trust anyone, and yet, the detective is almost always foiled because they trusted the wrong person or because of assumptions they made. I like noir because women are both sexy and smart– even if they are inclined to stab you in the back when they pull you in for a kiss. I like that mysteries are solved even if there is no justice. I don’t love the cynicism, but you can’t have it all.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

BB: I’ve written a few memoir pieces that I am proud of. And I have written a ghost story once, although I would never call myself a paranormal writer. When I first started to get a handle on the kind of writer I wanted to be, I was always drawn to stories that people would gossip about from the viewpoint of the people dealing with the fall out. And often, that’s what mysteries and noirs are. People dealing with the fall out of someone else’s choices. And now I realize how much I love working in the mystery genre. There are so many different approaches to mystery that I am excited to explore.


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

BB: At some point, all the characters were my favorite, especially the more shady ones. I had a lot of fun writing Ned Rockford, this charming guy who’s been propped up by the Good Old Boy System for a long time. These guys always have a plan – either coordinating their legacy or digging themselves out of a hole they got themselves into, but they’re almost always forgiven because they are charming and entertaining. And everyone knows they can’t trust them. Writing that character was a lot of fun.


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

BB: Often I will have these little inspirational triggers where I will read or watch a story and I’ll think, I want to write that, but not that. So I’ll make a note on my whiteboard that will say something cryptic like “Woman on Woman stalking with a witchy vibe”. When I started Pretty Girls, I was reading a lot of stories about women who were being labelled “crazy” by ex-boyfriends and families of ex-boyfriends. And it grew from there.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

BB: I got tired of waiting to be “discovered”. I’m not a 20-year-old literary ingénue with a patience problem. I am a 40+ woman who has written novels before, gone to school for an MFA, a Ph.D., and yet could not get the literary world to pay attention.

I traditionally published some short pieces, but when it came to getting an agent for my novels, I kept coming up against road blocks.

For decades I had been walking around waiting to be seen as a novelist, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be chosen and eventually I was like, “This is exhausting. I’m choosing myself!”

I sat down and made a list of what I would need to make it happen for myself. I started an LLC, I bought ISBNs, and I contacted editors and designers. I set a launch date and spread the word.

And now, this is the second book I have published myself, and the best part was I didn’t have to ask permission or run my ideas through a committee.

It’s the hardest job I have ever had, but it’s also all mine, every good decision and bad decision. And that’s so liberating.


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

BB: Megan Abbott, Joyce Carol Oates, Donna Tartt, Charlotte Bronte.

But I am too much of a fan girl to be expected to act like a reasonable human being around writers I admire. More than once, I have made an ass out of myself at a conference for rambling or spontaneously crying, so I have resigned myself from appreciating them from afar.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

BB: I just downloaded The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano because I want to read it before I watch Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix. Right now I’m consuming a lot of stories about medical fraud and factitious disorder.


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

BB: Lately I’ve been baking a lot of bread. I love to be in my kitchen, and I’ve been watching short videos on no knead bread.

I like to crochet blankets and knit scarves as gifts. Many people who saw me at book festivals this year probably saw me knitting or crocheting.

I’m a planner person, so I adorn my Filofax with stickers and washi tape. It keeps me organized and decorating it gets me excited to review a to do list.


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

BB: Chalula hot sauce, Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, Junior Mints, Seltzer, Topo Chico when I splurge, but more likely Kroger brand for everyday


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books?

BB: I want to write something in the same universe as Pretty Girls, but not the same characters. It’s another Southern small town noir, but with an amateur detective/writer who chooses to help a local high schooler search for a missing man. It’s my loving tribute to Murder She Wrote, but darker.


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

BB: I’m never bored. When I run out of content to consume, I can always make my own. And all that content I’d been consuming is research for future projects. So it feels very cyclical. I read things and then turn them into new things.

I have always taken the advice from Toni Morrison that if no one is writing the book you want to read, you should write it yourself. And lately I have been burned out by all my content – books, podcasts, TV shows – and it’s not because there isn’t anything good out there. I mean Yellowjackets just dropped a new season. I just know it’s time for me to write a new book.

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


 Blurb:

When a young entrepreneur is killed, everyone in town points fingers at his New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting, smokeshow of an ex-girlfriend, Gabbi – including the victim’s best friend, Jenna. As detective Lindy D’Arnaud and her partner Boggs search for a motive, they begin to wonder if this is a case of jealous violence or shady business dealings gone sour.

In Lindy’s personal life, things aren’t much clearer. When Lindy’s wife’s ex-boyfriend–and sperm donor to their baby–decides to move back to town, she finds herself competing for her wife’s affection. Can they be postmodern in Western Kentucky where living as a queer person is tenuous enough already?

Told through the shifting perspectives of Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna, “
Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” is a twisty page-turner for fans of Southern noir and NBC’s “Dateline.” 

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

Brandi Bradley is an indie author and educator who lives in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia. She writes short stories and novels about crime, family drama, flea markets, cowboys, rowdy girls, and gossip. She has had short stories and essays published in Juked, Louisiana Literature, Carve, and Nashville Review. She teaches writing at Kennesaw State University. Mothers of the Missing Mermaid (2023) is her debut novel of secrets by the sea in Destin, Florida. Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder is her second book. Learn more at: www.brandibradley.com

Sunday, March 16, 2025

High Tea and Misdemeanors - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

 
HIGH TEA AND MISDEMEANORS by Laura Childs
The Twenty-Ninth Tea Shop Mystery 

It should have been a glorious autumnal wedding, even if Delaine Dish was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, and Drayton Conneley, her friend and tea sommelier had the catering well in hand and the dining space was all set up in the greenhouse when a mighty crash sent the pair rushing out to see what happened. The walls and roof of the greenhouse collapsed killing a bridesmaid and seriously injuring the groom who was sent to get her. This was no accident, however. A killer fully intended to disrupt the wedding. Theodosia, never content to sit by the sidelines decides to run her own shadow investigation. The killer hasn't finished and Theodosia just might become the next victim.

HIGH TEA AND MISDEMEANORS pits a killer against tea shop owner and sleuth Thedosia Browning. What's unusual is that readers are privy to part of the killer's point of view. Although not given the exact motivation or plans, readers are privy to some of the thoughts, ideas, and actions, as well as the killer's thoughts about Theo! I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel as it brings something fresh to the twenty-ninth book in the series! 

One of my favorite aspects of this book, indeed the whole series, is the description, be it the scenery, design, and architecture of Charleston, or the amazing food, teas, and events at the Indigo Tea Shop! Those food descriptions, as well as the recipes and tips found at the end of each book, make my mouth water and have me dreaming of my own tea parties.

The mystery was compelling, but yet again Theo takes matters into her own hands, running her "shadow investigation". Asking questions is one thing, but it seems she thinks breaking and entering is fine now. She's even cajoled Drayton into helping her against his better judgement. I wish she'd stop breaking the law in order to solve the crime. She's also developed a know it all attitude which is off putting. I wish she'd take a vacation and let Drayton and Miss Dimple solve a mystery on their own!

HIGH TEA AND MISDEMEANORS is a fast paced thrillzy that will have you wondering just who-dun-it as your mouth waters over the delectable food and tea offered by Theo and her friends at the Indigo Tea Shop.

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

 High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs

About High Tea and Misdemeanors

High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 29th in Series
Setting - South Carolina
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (March 4, 2025)
Hardcover: ‎ 320 pages
When a wedding is tragically averted by the death of the bridesmaid, Theodosia is determined to prove that it was murder in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series. Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are tapped to cater the elegant wedding of Bettina and Jamie. Theodosia and Drayton are setting up when they hear a crash from the greenhouse. Shockingly, they discover that part of the roof has collapsed trapping a bridesmaid and the groom. He will pull through but the bridesmaid is no more. Theodosia is convinced it was murder. INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

About Laura Childs

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that takes place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:  

WebsiteFacebook  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org - PenquinRandomHouse 

 

Friday, March 14, 2025

The Medusa Murders - A Review

 Review


THE MEDUSA MURDERS by Joy Ann Ribar
The First Bay Browning Mystery 
 
It wasn't bad enough that Professor L. L. "Bay" Browning's ex-con sister unexpectedly shows up. Or that her "always hides from a problem" father says it's good that the sisters live together. But when a mix-up with her dry cleaning turns out to be an intentional switch involving her with a serial killer it's worse than not being prepared for a new semester. As an English professor and a potential next victim of the Medusa Killer, Bay begins to work with the police. Will Bay be able to discover her connection to the killer before becoming the killer's next target?
 
I really enjoyed my introduction to Bay Browning and her first mystery! Bay is not a sweet or soft protagonist. She's a bit brusque, not overtly friendly, and doesn't suffer fools gladly. She's whip smart, interesting, and genuinely cares for the well being of her students. Her sister, Cassandra, was starting to grow on me...until I read what she planned to do at work and did while she was in prison. To me, that's unconscionable. I love the concept of the Pig Squeal and really like Mandy. It was also fun seeing how Bay and Downing interacted. I'd love to see more of the Fabulous Fiona!
 
My favorite aspect of THE MEDUSA MURDERS was how mythology and art were combined. I appreciated the way in which Art History Chair and Bay's friend, Jennifer Yoo, helped by introducing several works of art and also discovering a major clue. She made me want to go down that same rabbit hole and search these paintings out, if only online.
 
The mystery was compelling. Why on earth was Bay targeted? It was fascinating to see the reasons slowly unraveled with an exciting culmination and confrontation as well.
 
Smart writing and a unique story captivated me from the get-go making THE MEDUSA MURDERS a captivating start to a new series.  

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading High Teas and Misdemeanors by Laura Childs. This book is the twenty-ninth in the Tea Shop Mystery series and was released last week.

It should have been a glorious autumnal wedding, even if Delaine Dish was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, and Drayton Conneley, her friend and tea sommelier had the catering well in hand and the dining space was all set up in the greenhouse when a mighty crash sent the pair rushing out to see what happened. The walls and roof of the greenhouse collapsed killing a bridesmaid and seriously injuring the groom who was sent to get her. This was no accident, however. A killer fully intended to disrupt the wedding. Theodosia, never content to sit by the sidelines decides to run her own shadow investigation. The killer hasn't finished and Theodosia just might become the next victim.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Vanishing into the 100% Dark - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Chloe to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Chloe on the pages of VANISHING INTO THE 100% DARK by Amber Royer. This book is the eighth in the Bean to Bar Mystery series and was released last week.

 
OMG, you guys, I’m actually in Japan! And it’s amazing! I just saw an early cherry blossom. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to see that. Probably half of the seventeen years I have spent on this Earth, ever since I saw Your Lie in April. I can’t entirely recommend it, since the ending totally broke me, but some of the best anime seem to have the saddest endings.

Anyway, thanks for tuning in last week when I was a guest on Reformed Jerk Cat, my mom’s YouTube channel mostly about my stupid jerky cat that got himself picked up by a very nice lady who taught him manners. I know, right.

Here on my channel, in case you’re new, it’s mostly restaurant reviews, travel tips and short films put together by me and my friends. Joey has gotten into Lego stop motion videos, so look forward to some of those, with me as the voice of Lovely Lillian.

But let me tell you how I wound up in Japan. You remember the chocolate shop lady? The one who saved me – and a bunch of other people including Hudson Nolan -- a few months ago when we were trapped in a hotel in Galveston? Well, Hudson himself got her invited to a chocolate festival here in Tokyo. AND, more importantly, he said we could do a collab video between me, Chloe of Chloe Creates and his main channel, TokyoGoGo. You simply cannot fathom how excited I am.

Hudson also told me about a movie being filmed near here. I’m not supposed to share any of the details, but I will say – there’s a very good chance I can work my way into being on screen. Y’all know how persuasive I am. Send positive thoughts. You know you want to see your girl on the big screen.

But first, I have to do something with all of these books. You see, Mrs. Koerber has a collection of books back at her chocolate shop. They’re memorabilia from the mystery cases she’s helped solve. Each one has somehow contained a clue, or been connected to someone or otherwise helped her solve a specific mystery. And a whole bunch of true crime and mystery fiction aficionados have all showed up at the chocolate festival, to give her one of their favorite books. Someone set up a feed, so I’ve been watching it happen in real time, even though I’ve been sitting here with one of Mrs. Koerber’s friends, drinking tea. I managed to sneak out here to stream when my substitute chaperone went to the bathroom.

I’ve never seen Mrs. Koerber be superstitious about anything else – but she freaked out over the books. Now she’s convinced someone’s going to be less alive. If I want her to be okay with me being in the movie, I need her to be in a better mood. But first, I need to get the part. I’ll pick up streaming once I’m inside the building. I promise, Hudson, it will just be me gloating about getting a part in a movie. Nothing recognizable that you will have to worry about, I double pinkie promise.

***

Okay – I’m picking up recording from a conference room inside the movie studio. I’m in here waiting for the director to come interview me, and there’s not enough signal inside here to stream. I’m getting a little bored, honestly.

I wish there was someone else on this trip remotely near my age. Mrs. Koerber and Mrs. Nash are both older than my Aunt Pauline. They’re both gooey over their respective boyfriends, and I’m not sure how to deal with that, considering they’re all in their thirties – and I don’t have any current romantic prospects of my own. Y’all know what happened with the last guy I dated. I’m not eager to get my heart stomped on again. Unless I meet a really good guy, it’s book boyfriends only for me, and right now that’s Ryan from Switch the Flip. Have you read it? I don’t want to give too many spoilers, but man, I did not see that ending coming.

Guys. Y’all. I heard a bunch of commotion in the hallway. I’m not sure if the camera picked it up or not. And get this. I went to go see if everything is okay – and I’m locked in. I’m sure everything’s fine. It sounded like maybe the janitor knocked over a trashcan out there or something. Only – what if it’s not?

***

I’m sorry I screamed in the recording. This cute little cat wound its way around my leg, and I didn’t know what it was. I thought – let me not think that again. A shiver just went down my spine. But surely that’s just because I’m stuck in here without a phone signal. No way to call out, and I’m in a locked room. Everything is probably fine, and there was just a commotion on set as part of the movie. That makes the most sense. After all, I’m waiting in here to talk to the director when there’s a break. Probably, the door got locked by accident, and someone will realize soon that I’m still in here. Only – what if it wasn’t an accident?

***

Y’all. The door is opening. I told you everything is going to be okay.

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

 Vanishing Into the 100% Dark (Bean to Bar Mysteries) by Amber Royer

About Vanishing Into the 100% Dark

Vanishing Into the 100% Dark (Bean to Bar Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 8th in Series
Setting - Japan
Publisher: ‎ Golden Tip Press (March 4, 2025)
Print length: ‎ 324 pages

Bean to chocolate maker Felicity Koerber has been invited to be part of a chocolate festival in Tokyo. It’s a big deal for a Texas gal with a chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand, so a whole group of her friends come along to support her. It’s intimidating enough to be giving a class on chocolate making with the help of a translator – she also stumbles across the scene of a murder, where a quirky group of international actors and stunt performers are making a monster movie. Felicity has already solved half a dozen murders back in Texas, so at this point her friends basically expect her to get involved – even before the young media influencer in Felicity’s group becomes the main suspect. Felicity has taken on the role of chaperone for Chloe, so she can’t imagine how she could explain what went wrong to the girl’s mother. Which gives her even more motivation to figure out the real killer.

In the meantime, things get complicated at the chocolate festival when a rival chocolate maker tries to get her disqualified from the awards competition – and claims that her amateur sleuth status is bringing undesirables into the festival. And things are even more complicated as the stress of being in an unfamiliar place brings out secrets about Felicity’s friends – and her fiancé.

About Amber Royer

Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach. Her workbook/textbook Story Like a Journalist and her Thoughtful Journal series allow her to connect with writers. Amber and her husband live in the DFW Area, where you can often find them at local coffee shops or taking landscape/architecture/wildlife photographs. They both love to travel, and Amber records her adventures on Instagram – along with pics of her pair of tuxedo cats. If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course! Amber blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.amberroyer.com

Blog: http://amberroyer.com/blog/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amber.Royer.Author/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoA_29HV2nPmRnox9LPVanw

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amber_royer

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Royer/e/B00PFV4CGM

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8144619.Amber_Royer

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Bookshop.org

Sunday, March 9, 2025

The Socialite's Guide to Sleuthing & Secrets - A Review & Giveaway

 Review


THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO SLEUTHING & SECRETS by S. K. Golden
The Third Pinnacle Hotel Mystery 

Though she'd prefer to be in her room at the Pinnacle Hotel with just her pets as companions, Evelyn Murphy has agreed to eat lunch in the Gold Room with her friend Henry. While admiring a tiara that was just delivered to her, ladies at a nearby table ask her to join them. As the hotel owner's daughter, Evelyn graciously sits with them and is soon given a sales pitch from Lois Mitchel, leader of the Ladies Love to Sparkle. As Evelyn peruses their costume jewelry catalog, Lois suddenly collapses. While it looks as if Lois suffered from a deadly allergic reaction, Evelyn's first thought is murder. While Evelyn Murphy has great difficulty with many aspects of her life, one thing she does well is find things...and that includes murderers.

THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO SLEUTHING & SECRETS brings readers back to the Pinnacle Hotel, a luxury hotel in 1958 New York City and home to the Evelyn Murphy. Still reeling from the departure of her lover, Evelyn has been backsliding, refusing once again to leave the hotel. But, when faced with another death, one where the woman fell right on top of her, she focuses on what she does best. It's fascinating to watch Evelyn's methods, her relationships with others, and her ultimate successes. I loved her plan to trap the killer!

In the first book in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series I found Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy contrived, especially with her speech, thank you ever so much. However, she's growing and by this third book we can see the character she's cultivated slowly fading as she's slowly letting her true self out. She even is just Evelyn Murphy now. Of course, it's slow going, but she's trying to be a better person.

The mystery was complex with multiple moving parts. a possible murder, a jewel thief, and a journalist looking to start trouble. The search to discover more about her mother's murder adds depth and more intrigue.

Humorous, yet imbued with pathos, THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO SLEUTHING & SECRETS is a skillfully crafted mystery bringing 1950s style to a novel that's simply the ginchiest!

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

 The Socialite's Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets (A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery) by S. K. Golden

About The Socialite's Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets

The Socialite's Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets (A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Setting - 1958 New York City
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books (March 11, 2025)
Hardcover: ‎ 288 pages

Hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy is on the hunt for a cunning killer and a mysterious thief in the third Pinnacle Hotel mystery, perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Ashley Weaver.

New York, 1958. When Evelyn’s mail is delivered during a luncheon in the Gold Room, she’s surprised to find she has received a diamond tiara, which catches the attention of a costume jewelry sales team lunching nearby. Their leader, Lois Mitchel, is especially interested, but by the end of the lunch, Lois has choked and fallen into Evelyn’s lap—and by the end of the day, she’s dead.

The papers report on the death the next day, while also spreading news of a Gentleman Thief who’s been leaving behind a red pocket square after robbing the city’s wealthiest. Determined to figure out what happened to Lois, Evelyn devotes herself to the investigation.

The truth is as rare as a diamond and just as hard to crack, and Evelyn swiftly discovers that this particular mystery is multifaceted, too. From costume jewelry hawkers to wannabe Robin Hoods and a detective in residence at the Pinnacle, nothing is simple. But neither is Evelyn—and this case is hers to solve.

About S. K. Golden

S.K. Golden writes cozy mysteries and crime capers. Born and raised in the Florida Keys, she married a commercial fisherman. The two of them still live on the islands with their five kids (one boy, four girls — including identical twins!), two cats, and a corgi named Goku. Sarah graduated from Saint Leo University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Administration and has put it to good use approximately zero times. She’s worked as a bank teller, a pharmacy technician, and an executive assistant at her father’s church. Sarah is delighted to be doing none of those things now.

Author Links: 

Website https://www.skgoldenwrites.com/  

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

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

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22010011.S_K_Golden  

Purchase Links - Amazon B&N Bookshop.org Penguin RandomHouse Kobo 

 

Friday, March 7, 2025

Murder in an Irish Garden - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book in my TBR pile. MURDER IN AN IRISH GARDEN by Carlene O' Connor is the eleventh book in the Irish Village Mystery series and was released last week.


 Blurb:

Everything’s coming up roses for garda Siobhán and the rest of O’Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland—until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.

While Siobhán studies for her Detective Sargeant exams, her brother, Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, and concocts a plan to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. But trouble brews when Eoin hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs. His new partner’s unflattering reputation and questionable practices nearly eclipse her talents—and plunge the prestigious competition into chaos.

A lush and intricate winning garden emerges from the controversy, with a spectacular golden statue in the center of the display. But in a devastating twist, the work of art leads to the shocking discovery of a bold and brutal work of murder.

Everyone in town has an opinion about who committed the crime and planted the evidence, from easily bribed sponsors to green-with-envy gardeners. And with another golden statue found in Eoin’s garden display, rumors about his involvement intensify. As local gossip buzzes and a list of suspects grows, it’s up to quick-witted Siobhán and her husband, Macdara, to suss out the guilty culprit’s identity . . . before the competition buries another victim