Review and Giveaway: Ours to Love

Ours to Love (Wicked Lovers - Book 7) by Shayla Black

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Heat
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Pages: 400
ISBN-10: 0425253392
ISBN-13: 978-0425253397

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Heat)

WARNING: This is an erotic romance and it may be considered inappropriate for readers under the age of 18. Excerpts from this novel may be graphic and should not be viewed by those under 18 as well.

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Shayla Black on the WEB: Webpage, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Wicked Ties (2007), Decadent (2007), Delicious (2010), Surrender to Me (2011), Belong to Me (2011), Mine to Hold (2012), Ours to Love (2013)

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Ours to Love, courtesy of Shayla Black's webpage.

Synopsis:

Between two brothers...

Xander Santiago spent years living it up as a billionaire playboy. Never given a chance to lead his family business in the boardroom, he became a master in the bedroom instead. His older brother; Javier, inherited the company and worked tirelessly to make it an empire. But while cutthroat corporate espionage took its toll on Javier, nothing was as devastating as the seemingly senseless murder of his wife. It propelled him into a year of punishing rage and guilt... until Xander came to his rescue.

comes an irresistible woman...

Eager to rejuvenate Javier's life; Xander shanghais him to Louisiana, where they meet beautiful London McLane. After a decade of tragedy and struggle, London is determined to make a fresh start - and these sexy billionaire brothers are more than willing to help. In every way. London is stunned to find herself open to their heated suggestions... and desperately hoping that her love will heal them.

and inescapable danger.

But a killer is watching, on a single-minded mission to destroy all the Santiago brothers hold dear, especially London. As fear and desire collide, every passionate beat of her heart could be her last.

Thoughts:

Shayla Black once again thrills readers with her latest addition to the very popular Wicked Lovers series, Ours to Love. Black takes on a menage a trois theme, with two brothers in love with the same woman. But as always the story isn't just about the sex. This is romantic suspense, a little heavy on the romance of course but definitely one of those nail-biters as well. Black gives her characters and her story just the right amount of sizzle and just the right amount of edge. Readers and fans will not be disappointed. New readers to the series, get ready.

Shayla Black always has such a sense of style about her books. She doesn't make her adult themes seem sleazy or dirty, but lets the reader see the beauty and the excitement in finding the right type of relationship to fulfill each person. I think there is a time and place for every kind of book and erotic romance is no different. As a great and wise show once said, "Different strokes for different folks." It's all about tolerance and allowing people to have their fantasies and finding just the right thing to satisfy them. Black is able to do that in spades.

Xander finally gets his own story. As a reader of the series, I was really looking forward to that. Xander has long been a favorite of mine. It certainly didn't go the way I was expecting it to go, with the addition of his brother Javier, but that was the best part. It was unexpected and thrilling all at the same time. It was edge of your set suspense, with a good dose of eroticism. I like romances of any kind that have a good plot and this one definitely had that going for it. Black's ideas of how to get her characters in and out of danger are always out of the box and I think readers will love that about this book in particular.

I liked London a lot as well. A strong woman, adventurous and also very caring. More than anything she wants to help heal these two men who have seen tragedy in their lives. All the while, she has seen her share of very hard times. I liked the fact that Black didn't make her cynical about her past or make her too sappy. She has just the right balance to make her a great heroine. 

Black's books are always very character driven and that is shown in Ours to Love as well. Both of these men, Xander and Javier have their own stories, but it's where they intersect that the magic happens. Black has another hit on her hands!

Ours to Love is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 30 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print, electronic, and audio publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla’s work has been translated in about a dozen languages. She has also received or been nominated for The Passionate Plume, The Holt Medallion, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. RT Bookclub has twice nominated her for Best Erotic Romance of the year, as well as awarded her several Top Picks, and a KISS Hero Award.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Ours to Love by Shayla Black.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 6th.

1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on this post.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry

The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry (Ivy Beasley - Book 4) by Ann Purser

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425261808
ISBN-13: 978-0425261804

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Ann Purser on the WEB: Webpage, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Hangman's Row Enquiry (2010), The Measby Murder Enquiry (2011), The Wild Wood Enquiry (2012), The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry (2013)

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry, courtesy of Amazon.

Synopsis:

From the author of the Lois Meade Mysteries...

Save the date: Ivy Elizabeth Beasley is ready to share her golden years and plans to wed Roy Vivian Goodman on the fifth of May. A spinster no more, the private eye is in for marriage, murder, and mishaps galore…   It’s the talk of Ivy Beasley's retirement community—her fiancé, Roy, has quite the hefty inheritance. She couldn’t care less about his fortune, but it has a way of luring long-lost relatives out of the woodwork. And when, against Ivy’s wishes, Roy asks his dubious nephew, furniture salesman Steven Wright, to be the best man, she cannot help but disapprove. After all, she suspects he’s out for his uncle’s fortune…   But after the banns of Ivy and Roy’s marriage are announced at the Barrington village church and an anonymous voice shouts out a protest, the wedding may be off. And with the discovery of a body in a bed in a nearby furniture shop, Ivy and her team of sleuths at Enquire Within may be closer to a dangerous reception than they realize.

Thoughts:

Ivy Beasley is once again up to no good. Well, not exactly, but she's up to some amateur sleuthing for sure. The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry is the fourth book in Ann Purser's, Ivy Beasley mystery series. This delightful English cozy will have readers thinking twice about what grandma and grandpa might be up to in their golden years. Purser has created a wonderful cast of characters and given them just the right circumstances to make them shine. Readers will find themselves knee-deep in this mystery in no time and putting those clues together in record time.

Ann Purser's direction in cozy writing is somewhat eccentric. Her characters aren't your typical amateur sleuths with ties to the police, or men and women with regular jobs. Purser's characters are senior citizens, who live in a retirement community. Ivy Beasley, heroine in this series is in her late seventies or early eighties. But Purser doesn't hold back even if her characters aren't exactly spring chickens. Ivy is about to get married. Certainly not what cozy readers would be expecting, but definitely worth their time.

Purser uses wit and some stunning banter to move her plot along and readers will love the whole wedding scenario added into this story. The groom having a hefty inheritance provides some unusual suspects. Ivy has a sharp tongue and a sharp eye and figuring out this crime hits close to home because the murder victim is the best man in her wedding. I loved the way Purser used Ivy's disposition to give readers insight into her character. Ivy is Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher rolled into one, with a little more spice than sugar.

I enjoyed the whole English countryside setting as well. The retirement community that Ivy and her would be husband reside in, also gives her two other partners in crime. Together they operate Enquire Within, their own detecting agency. Purser just does an amazing job of giving the story what I like to call "place". That means it has atmosphere, ambiance if you will. This book and this series has such a good feel to it. Readers will fall in love with the characters and the surrounding town and its people.

A great addition to a wonderful series with eccentric characters and a different feel than a normal cozy.

The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry is available NOW at from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Ann Purser is also the author of the Lois Meade Mysteries that ran from Murder on Monday to Sorrow on Sundayand now continue Lois Meade's sleuthing in Warning at One, Tragedy at Two, Threats at Three, Foul Play at Four, andFound Guilty at Five. The series featuring Ivy Beasley includes such titles as The Hangman's Row Enquiry and The Measby Murder Enquiry. She was born in Market Harborough in Leicestershire, and has lived most of her life in villages. She has turned her hand to many things, including journalism (as a columnist for SHE magazine), keeper of hens and donkeys, art gallery manager, clerical assistant in a village school, Open University graduate, novelist, mother of three, wife of Philip Purser, critic and writer. She is an avid reader of detective stories.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Sleeping Salesman Enquiry by Ann Purser.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only (publisher request)
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 5th. 

1. Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation to the author.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: The Begonia Bribe

The Begonia Bribe (Garden Society Mystery series - Book 2) by Alyse Carlson

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425251624
ISBN-13: 978-0425251621

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Alyse Carlson (Hart Johnson) on the WEB: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Azalea Assault (2012), The Begonia Bribe (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Begonia Bribe, courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

Roanoke, Virginia, is home ot some of the country's most exquisite gardens, and it's Camellia Harris's job to promote them. But when a pint-sized beauty contest comes to town, someone decides to deliver a final judgement...

A beauty pageant for little girls - the Little Miss Begonia Pageant - is holding its event in Elmwood Park, one of Roanoke's loveliest. Camellia is called in to help deal with the botanical details, the cute contestants, and their catty mothers. She soon realizes that the drama onstage is nothing compared to the judges' row. There's jealousy, betrayal, and a love triangle involving local newsman - and known lothario - Telly Stevens. And a mysterious saboteur is trying to stop the pageant from happening at all.

But the drama turns deadly when Stevens is murdered, poisoned by some sort of plant. With a full flower bed of potential suspects, Cam needs to dig through the evidence to uproot a killer with a lethal green thumb.

Thoughts:

Alyse Carlson delights readers with the second book in  her Garden Society mystery series, The Begonia Bribe. Carlson takes an approach to cozy writing that readers seem to gravitate too. She gives them lots of great clues for solving the mystery while also divulging extra secrets along the way. Carlson's novels are entertaining for both mystery fans and gardeners alike. Her descriptions of the city of Roanoke and it's citizens are also captivating. A great second effort!

One of the things that struck me as interesting in Carlson's first novel in this series was the way her characters seem to leap off the page. Carlson has a knack for writing engaging dialogue that allows the reader to really get to know the people they are reading about. Roanoke has always been a fascinating city to me because of its long and mysterious history. I thought it was a great idea for Carlson to set her series in this wonderful city and to make it's inhabitants become real.

Cam is such a wonderful heroine. Every once in a while Carlson is able to slip in some dry wit and humor. I love the fact that Cam has a sense of humor and can even laugh at herself. She is very determined and can't seem to stay out of trouble, my kind of girl. LOL! She is also an avid gardener. I can't say that I always have the best of luck, but I am truly a garden enthusiast and loved the idea for this series and this character from the start.

The mystery aspect of this book was not only intriguing but cute. Little girls and pageants and beautiful gardens seemed to be a perfect fit for this mystery. With shows like Toddlers and Tiara's being so popular and seeing how catty those moms are and how the judges make their decisions on who wins made this mystery seem all the more plausible. This is something that could actually happen. It's that scary!

I liked the fact that Carlson didn't make this one too easy. Sometimes I figure them out pretty quickly given the sheer amount of cozies I read. But every once in a while I get stumped and when I do, I know that's a good mystery. This one had me racking my brain right up until end. Every time I thought I had it... not quite. It was a great read and I think readers will find this book and series, very entertaining.

The Begonia Bribe is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Hart Johnson:  aspiring author of main stream suspense, some adult some YA... This is my dark face, seeking to do really rotten things to my characters for your reading pleasure (using the fictional drama to keep me from stirring up the real kind).  I've written nine suspense novels and two mysteries under this dark cloud and it is still my hope these will be published and make me rich enough to at least quit my day job.  The first of these to break out (see Kahlotus Disposal Site, below) is being queried; the rest are in various stages of editing.

Alyse Carlson:  This is my pen name for my Cozy Mystery contract with Berkley Prime Crime.  The series has a gardening theme and takes place in Roanoke, Virginia, starring 30-something public relations guru Cam Harris, her crazy friends and family, and her eccentric colleagues at the Roanoke Garden Society.  The first one came out June 5, 2012 and was selected one of Suspense Magazines best Cozies of 2012, the second is scheduled for May 7, 2013, and the third, Chrysanthemum Campaign, has been handed in. Publication date TBD. (We will see if they offer me more:  Friends have worked up titles through the whole alphabet)

[and on this front, I'm the anomaly who got her book contract (sort of) via blog: look under the tag 'contract' if you want THAT story]

Alyse is delightedly represented by Ellen Pepus of the Signature Literary Agency for Cozy Mystery and Hart is querying for her darker stuff. 

The Watery Tart:  Alternately rules the world from a small tropical island, performs lingerie training on very bad boys, and tries to tempt all of you into playing just a little bit harder--perhaps even joining the Naked World Domination movement.  My online persona is rarely serious and a little outrageous, but tries very hard to walk the PG line with her antics.  It's my goal to help you lighten up and laugh--not to offend you.

The person behind all these faces has a day job doing academic research related to health disparities at a ginormous Midwest University.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Begonia Bribe by Alyse Carlson.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only (publisher request)
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 4th.

1. Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation to the author.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Jack Absolute

Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys

Publication Date: May 7, 2013 (Reprint)
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Landmark
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 288
ISBN-10: 140228070X
ISBN-13: 978-1402280702

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Landmark)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

C.C. Humphreys on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from Jack Absolute, courtesy of Amazon (This is from the original version, not the reprint.)

Synopsis:

JACK ABSOLUTE RETURNS TO AMERICA!

Yes, he’s back. What the Good Book Guide in the UK called: ‘The finest series of historical novels since Patrick O’Brian’ is published in the USA on May 7th.

Meet the real Jack Absolute – not the comic captain from Sheridan’s play ‘The Rivals’. Meet the Redcoat. The Mohawk. The Lover. The Spy.

OPENING LINE:

“The snow lay deep on Hounslow Heath and the light was fading fast.”

“An absolute delight! Swashbuckling adventure, eighteenth-century wit, hugely entertaining plots, and one of the most appealing military gentlemen ever to wear a sword.” Diana Gabaldon – Author of the Outlander and Lord John Grey series.

It's 1777 when Captain Jack Absolute becomes a sensation throughout London. This news comes as a shock to the real Jack Absolute when he arrives in England after four months at sea. But there's little time for outrage before he finds himself dueling for his life. Right when he thinks he's finally won, he is forced to flee London by the quickest means possible, becoming a spy in the American Revolution. From the streets of London, to the pivotal battle of Saratoga, to a hunt for a double agent in Philadelphia, this novel marks the exhilarating beginning of an epic historical series and a character you won't soon forget.

Thoughts:

C.C. Humphreys takes a character he once played on the stage and brings him to vivid life in his novel, Jack Absolute. Readers who love an exciting and daring story, with swashbuckling action and a main character that that is both lover and rogue will find this book irresistible. Humphreys writes with a flair for the dramatic and a great sense of adventure. Readers will find it hard to put this novel down until the last page has been read!

This book is all about the characters. In fact it's really all about the main character, Jack Absolute. Jack has been called the 007 of the 1700's with good reason. Humphreys based this character on a role he once played on stage in a play called, "The Rivals" by Richard Sheridan. He enjoyed playing the character so much that when the opportunity afforded itself in his writing career, he brought Jack back! Jack Absolute is one of those larger-than-life characters that readers will fall in love with instantly. He isn't perfect and gets himself into some desperate situations which makes him all the more entertaining. From London to America Jack Absolute's adventures will thrill readers who like their novels fast paced and full of energy. An unforgettable character, fuels this book and the subsequent series set during the American Revolution.

Humphreys attention to detail is unparalleled in today's historical fiction novels. Down to the smallest of things, the author endeavors to be true to the time period and to the historical accuracy that is expected in good historical fiction. Jack becomes everything from an impersonated soldier to a spy during this novel that is for all intents and purposes a wonderful adventure story. Humphreys excels at both character development and advancing the plot. His story certainly doesn't drag. Jack is a captivating character that readers won't soon forget.

An exhilarating beginning to the Jack Absolute series! Jack Absolute is currently the only novel that is available in the US, but with it's success I am sure the other novels in the series will follow. If you are looking for a book that is thrilling and full of adventure, this is definitely a good historical fiction choice.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

C.C. Humphreys is a novelist, fight choreographer, and actor who played Jack Absolute in The Rivals for a six-month run in London in the mid - 1980's. When he became a full-time writer a decade ago, he decided to transform his leading man into a title character. Humphreys has written seven historical novels including, The French Executioner, which was runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers in 2002. The Jack Absolute series will feature three books: Jack Absolute, The Blooding of Jack Absolute, and Absolute Honour. 

Guest Post & Giveaway: Jack Absolute

Jack Absoute by C.C. Humphreys

Please join me today in welcoming author and actor C.C. Humphreys to Debbie's Book Bag. C.C. is here promoting the reprint edition of his historical fiction novel, Jack Absolute based on a character that he has also been privileged to play on the stage. My review of this book will post later today. See giveaway details at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Jack Absolute.


Many people who know me know me through my acting. Even though I do less of it these days – historical fiction writing being somewhat all-consuming (and which can be done wearing holed sweaters and a scraggly beard!) – I still consider myself an actor even if I call myself an ‘author-actor’ these days rather than an ‘actor-author’ as before.
My acting life has affected my writing so directly – in my heightened dialogue, my intensely dramatic situations. Most people who read me, the first thing they usually say is: ‘I can see the movie!’ (To which I usually reply: ‘I hope you do!’). But there’s probably no better example of direct affect than with my novel, ‘Jack Absolute’…
… because I stole the character from a play I was in!
Now before you all yell ‘Plagiarist!’ at me, let me explain. Yes, I took the name – from the 18th century comedy ‘The Rivals’. Yes, I borrowed certain aspects of the character created by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in the 1770’s. But here’s my defense  It was my interpretation I stole, my performance of the role that shines through in all I subsequently wrote.
I LOVED being Jack Absolute. It was one of perhaps half a dozen roles in my 35 year career so far that I feel I truly, completely nailed. And I felt that if Sheridan was looking down he would say: ‘Yes! That’s right, me boy! Let me buy you a pint!’ I played him as a rogue, a conspirator, gallant, self confident – and a fool for love. I so enjoyed seeing his brilliant schemes fail, his thrashing around, his eventual success. I was in a great company with a great director and we made people laugh the length and breadth of England for six months. And when it was over I missed him terribly.
Then, fifteen years later, I became an author and, after my first two novels, found a way to be Jack once again. For when my publishers asked me what I wanted to write for them next, I found myself saying: ‘I want to write about Jack Absolute.’ ‘Who’s he,’ they inquired  And since I knew he couldn't simply be the roguish lover I played, knew he had to do something, I had an answer ready. ‘He’s the Double-O-Seven of the 1770’s.’
They loved that. Three novels later, with more planned, I still do. And if I’ve added to my original conception of Jack a whole string of other passions – swordplay, theater, Mohawks, battles on sea and land, among them -why not? He’s still a fool for love and, I think, a grand fellow to spend time with. I am so thrilled he’s loose in America again. For then, in a way, so am I! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 3rd.

1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on this post.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: Killer in Crinolines

Killer in Crinolines (Consignment  Shop Mystery - Book 2) by Duffy Brown

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0425252159
ISBN-13: 978-0425252154

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Duffy Brown on the WEB: Webpage, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series: 

Iced Chiffon (2012), Killer in Crinolines (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Killer in Crinolines courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

It’s August in Savannah, Georgia—hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat—or from a cake knife in the back...

Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back.

Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man!

With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend—before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit…

Thoughts:

Duffy Brown's second book in her consignment shop mystery series, will have readers ready to go out and find some bargains. Killer in Crinolines is a fast-paced cozy with lots of twists and turns. Brown has a knack for writing dialogue and readers will find themselves so engrossed in the story, it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Brown's fun loving characters are up in arms when the groom is found face-down in the wedding cake. It's up to Reagan and the gang to prove that her best friend, isn't the killer. And it's up to readers to figure out the clues as they read along.

Duffy Brown's first book in the series, Iced Chiffon was a nice change of pace from the typical cozy fare. Brown was able to establish the series and introduce the characters while still staying true to the mystery. Her follow-up novel, Killer in Crinolines, further develops the characters and their relationships. Readers who loved Reagan's spunk and determination in the first one, will find her just as spontaneous and feisty in the latest installment. Aunt Kiki once again helps Reagan put it all together and her relationship with Walker Boone flourishes a little more. Readers are waiting with baited breath to see when Brown allows these two characters to go beyond friendship, maybe in book three?...

This one is set in Savannah, Georgia. The heart of the South. It is filled with all the typical hospitality and southern charm you would expect from a cozy set in this area, but it also packs a kooky punch. A lot of the characters are a little off beat. They aren't your typical southern ladies, drinking sweet tea and gossiping  These ladies are tough nuts. They are peering over hedges and searching the linen closets, LOL. My kind of chicks! Reagan and Aunt Kiki will really hit the spot for readers who are looking for eccentric characters who don't fit the regular cozy mold. 

The mystery aspect of the story was interesting and a lot of fun to try to figure out. The wayward groom had a lot of enemies and that provided readers with a plethora of suspects and motives to choose from. Brown excels at putting in a red herring now and then that will make the reader sure they have it figured out until she pulls the rug out from under them. I loved the way Brown incorporated her clues into the story. In some cozies the clues lead the story, but in this one it was more like, the clues were just stumbled upon, more realistic and better thought out.

A great second book to this eclectic series. Brown has another riveting mystery on her hands.

Killer in Crinolines is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While other girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and works at a consignment shop when she’s not busy conjuring up whodunit stories.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Killer in Crinolines by Duffy Brown.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.

~US addresses only (publisher request)

~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 31st.

1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on this post.

2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: The Cat, the Mill and the Murder

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (Cats in Trouble Mystery - Book 5) by Leann Sweeney

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0451415418
ISBN-13: 978-0451415417

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Leann Sweeney on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse (2009), The Cat, the Professor and the Poison (2010), The Cat, the Lady and the Liar (2011), The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon (2012), The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Cat, the Mill and the Murder courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

When cat lover and quilter Jillian Hart volunteers to help a local animal shelter relocate a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned textile mill, she never expects to find a woman living there, too. Jeannie went missing from Mercy, South Carolina, a decade ago, after her own daughter's disappearance.

Jeannie refuses to leave the mill or abandon Boots, her cat who died years ago. After all, she and Boots feel the need to protect the premises from creepers" who come in the night. After Jeannie is hurt in an accident and is taken away, those who've come to town to help repurpose the mill uncover a terrible discovery.. As the wheels start turning in Jillian's mind, a mysterious new feline friend aids in her quest to unearth a long-kept and dark secret.

Thoughts:

Leann Sweeney continues her much loved Cats in Trouble series with the fifth book, The Cat, the Mill and the Murder. Readers will find a cleverly plotted mystery, as well as, lots of interesting tidbits about felines and the mill towns of South Carolina. Sweeney's obvious love of cats spills onto every page of this book. She couples it with Southern charm and curiosity, making this a book readers won't soon forget. Murder has once again come to Mercy!

Leann Sweeney has a knack for writing about cats. It is apparent that Sweeney must have cats of her own and has done a great deal of research about felines. Her descriptions about the differences between strays and feral cats was really interesting. I think readers will easily pick up on the fact that Sweeney is attempting to give her readers as much information and knowledge about cats as she is about the mystery  in the book. I liked all the tidbits of information about cats. Personally I am a dog person, but I find the feline aspect of this series a lot of fun to read about and I have learned a lot about the furry critters in the process.

Sweeney once again brings back old the tried and true characters readers have come to know from the series and added a few new faces. Heroine, Jillian Hart is just as curious and as kind-hearted as ever in this installment in the series. She imagines all kinds of horrors as she begins to help relocate a group of feral cats, but things aren't quite what they seem. One of the things that always draws me in about Jillian is her capacity to be open minded and expect the unexpected, the hallmark of a good amateur sleuth. I look forward to see what kind of hot water she gets into next.

The hometown charm of this book and series is exceptional. Readers will love Mercy, South Carolina and wish they could live there too. The townspeople are not only interesting but realistic. Real people with real problems. The homeless woman in this story lost her daughter and in turn her grasp on reality. It is as if each story that Sweeney writes in this series shows a different side of life and how people cope with things, whether its in a small town or a large one. I think readers will appreciate that Sweeney isn't making this kind of reading so much an escape, as a journey.

Sweeney once again gives readers just what they are looking for. A satisfying mystery that keeps them guessing, a lot of great feline intervention, including a ghost cat, and great cast of characters to bring it all to life.

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Leann Sweeney was born and raised in Niagara Falls and educated at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Lemoyne College in Syracuse, NY. She also has a degree from the University of Houston in behavioral science and worked for many years in psychiatry and as a school nurse; she now writes full time.

She began crafting fiction in 1980, fulfilling her lifelong dream. After perfecting her skills with classes and a small fortune in writing books, she joined MWA and Sisters in Crime. Now she’s the creator of two NAL/Obsidian mystery series: The Yellow Rose Mysteries and the Cats in Trouble Mysteries. The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse, first in the Cats in Trouble Mysteries was the #1 bestseller on the Independent Mystery Bookseller’s List when it debuted and made several top twenty lists for 2009 at bookstores across the country. Since then, The Cat, The Lady and The Liar and The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon climbed all the way to the NY Times bestseller list for mass market paperbacks.

Leann is married with two fabulous grown children, a wonderful son-in-law and a beautiful daughter-in-law–not to mention three amazing granddaughters: Maddison Grace (Maddie), Morgan Elizabeth and Meika Elise. She lived in Texas from 1974 to 2012 and now lives in South Carolina with husband Mike, her two cats Wexford and Marlowe, and Rosie–the smart, retrieving, golf-ball chasing, busy-busy-busy mini-labradoodle.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Cat, the Mill and the Murder to one lucky winner from Debbie's Book Bag.

~You must be a GFC follower or email subscriber to participate.

~US addresses only (publisher request)

~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 30th.

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