Review and Giveaway: If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion

If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion (Country Cooking School Mystery - Book 3) by Paige Shelton

Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 042525223X
ISBN-13: 978-0425252239

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

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

Paige Shelton on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

If Fried Chicken Could Fly (2012), If Mashed Potatoes Could Dance (2012), If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion (2013)

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

Excerpt from If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

At Gram’s Country Cooking School, Isabelle “Betts” Winston and her grandmother share their home-style culinary secrets. But what they keep to themselves are the secrets of Broken Rope, a quiet little Missouri town, that isn't nearly as quiet as it seems...
 
A fresh school year begins as Gram and Betts anxiously await the arrival of their new crop of students. But their enthusiasm is thwarted when a stranger named Freddie O’Bannon arrives and claims to have proof that he was accepted to the school despite what is in their files. And when the ghost of Cylas Gent, a young man who might have a romantic past with Gram, also appears, there are suddenly two mysteries demanding their attention.
 
But just as Gram and Betts start sifting through the past, one of their new students is murdered. Does the seemingly sweet Freddie O’Bannon have something sinister to hide, or are Gram’s ghosts trying to teach her a lesson? Either way, it’s up to the country cooks to catch a killer before another living soul gets burned.

Thoughts:

Paige Shelton's Country Cooking School series is a cozy series with a paranormal twist. If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion is the third book in the series and features Shelton's razor sharp wit and overall knowledge of farm to table cooking concepts. The heroine's ability to talk to those living and dead adds a paranormal element that is both entertaining and insightful. Readers who love a little romance with their mysteries will not be disappointed with this one, as one of the love interests could be a ghostly cowboy! 

Paige Shelton has done a remarkable amount of research for the titles in the Country Cooking School series as well as her Farmers Market series. One thing is for sure... Shelton knows food. She is able to describe food and add it into her stories like a master. When she writes about certain dishes readers find themselves almost salivating. Her descriptions are just that realistic. I love the fact that the author has chosen something that is obviously important to her to write about. I just don't think someone who couldn't cook, could write about food that well. 

As always, I love a cozy with a paranormal twist and this one really hits the spot. The entire series is based on the fact that Betts and her grandmother have a knack for talking to those alive and dead. The dead seek them out and ask for help solving mysteries from the past and even help solve some current crimes as well. The cemetery out back, doesn't seem like a scary place with this kind of gift. I like the way that Shelton uses this aspect of the series to give the reader books that include more than one mystery at a time. Double the fun!

If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion is a clever mystery that will have readers trying to solve the crime right along with the book. I liked the return of the ghostly cowboy from the first book in the series. He added a certain amount of romance that was completely unexpected. Betts and Gran end up trying to solve not only the current murder of one of their cooking school students, but a murder from the past that is tied to Gran's early girlhood. It was fun to learn more about Gran's life and the earlier days of Broken Rope. 

I loved the fact that Shelton has also added a new paranormal element in this book as well. She throws in the possibility of time travel as a way to help Betts solve the crime involving the bakery. Sometimes I think authors add to many of these kinds of elements and that takes away from the overall effect. But that doesn't seem to be the case with this one. Shelton wrote this aspect of the story in such a way that it seems almost natural that Betts' abilities are changing and getting stronger. It added so many new possibilities for readers who enjoy this kind of book. 

If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion is probably one of my favorite books by Shelton and I think readers will be really pleased with the direction the series seems to be going. It's one of those series' that has you waiting with baited breath for the next book to come out. A wonderful addition to an intriguing and ghostly series.

If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion is available NOW from your favorite bookseller. 

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

About the Author:

Paige Shelton is also the author of the national bestselling Farmers’ Market Mysteries. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and son. When she’s up early enough, one of her favorite things is to watch the sun rise over the Wasatch Mountains. 

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion by Paige Shelton.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 14th.

1. Please leave a comment describing a favorite farm to table recipe.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen

The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen by Lindsay Ashford

Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Landmark
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 432
ISBN-10: 1402282125
ISBN-13: 978-1402282126

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Landmark)

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

Lindsay Ashford on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

"Where would I begin to explain it all...?"

Twenty-six years have passed since the death of Jane Austen. Armed with a lock of Austen's hair as perhaps her best clue, Anne Sharp, former governess to the Austen family and Jane's close friend, has decided at last to tell her story—a story of family intrigues, shocking secrets, forbidden loves, and maybe even murder...

Upon its publication in the UK, Lindsay Ashford's fictional interpretation of the few facts surrounding Jane Austen's mysterious death sparked an international debate and uproar. None of the medical theories offer a satisfactory explanation of Jane Austen's early demise at the age of forty-one. Could it be that what everyone has assumed was a death by natural causes was actually more sinister? Lindsay Ashford's vivid novel delves deep into Austen's world and puts forth a shocking suggestion—was someone out to silence her?

Thoughts:

British author and criminologist Lindsay Ashford puts forth a startling question to the many fans of Jane Austen. Was Jane's death at the early age of 41 due to natural causes or was it murder? Speculation on this topic has run rampant since the time of Austen's death in 1817. Ashford's book, The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen is a combination of historical facts and fiction. Based on the limited amount of evidence available Ashford has crafted an utterly fascinating novel that will leave readers with a very different idea of the Austen family and about Jane herself. Is it possible? Yes... I think it is.

Lindsay Ashford has taken the mysterious death of one of fiction's most loved authors, Jane Austen and turned it into a wonderful mystery novel. The eerie thing is... she could be on to something. It has often been surmised that technology was not developed enough at the time of Austen's death to prove conclusively that she died of natural causes. In letters 
Austen wrote to family and friends, she describes certain things about her condition that have often lead to speculation as to the fact that she may have been poisoned with arsenic. There are of course other theories, but this is the most plausible. But who would want to kill Jane?

Ashford writes an portrayal of Jane's family that is both shocking and believable. She goes into details about possible family secrets and that fact there were people who may have wanted to see Jane silenced. Ashford's book is so eerie, it will make the hair on the back of the readers neck stand up. She depicts Anne Sharp a friend of Jane's in such a way that readers believe in the sincerity that Anne has for finding out the truth of what happened. Ashford mixes the facts with fiction so completely that it is hard to believe that this is a novel and not a factual account of the mystery surrounding Jane's death.

Readers who love a good mystery will find it here in spades. And readers who love Jane Austen will be both entertained and scandalized at the fact that their beloved Austen may have been silenced before her time. Ashford's theories are riveting and so full of surprises that the reader will be glued to the pages. There is a sense of foreboding and an sense of reality involved in Ashford's style of writing this novel that will give readers the chills. 

This is a gripping novel that grabs you from the first page and won't let go. Austen fans and mystery readers a like will flock to the North American release of Ashford's book. Previously released in the UK in 2011, it stirred up so much controversy, that it became an international phenomenon. It's release in the US will no doubt produce the same fervor and zeal to find out what really happened to Jane...

The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag... because it really has me wondering if Ashford might just be right!

About the Author:

Lindsay Ashford is an award-winning British mystery novelist and journalist. Her writing has been compared to that of Vivien Armstrong, Linda Fairstein, and Francis Fyfield. Raised in Wolverhampton, Ashford became the first woman to graduate from Queens' College, Cambridge in its 550-year history. She has a degree in Criminology and, in 1996, began writing mysteries. Ashford divides her time between a home on the Welsh coast near Aberystwyth, Wales and the village of Chawton (Jane Austen's home) in Hampshire, England.

Giveaway Details:

Since it was late in the month, I was unable to find a giveaway still going on for this title. That may happen sometimes when I am reviewing books near the end of a month. But, I will always try to find one for you to enter if I am not providing a giveaway for the title.

Review and Giveaway: Once Upon a Tartan

Once Upon a Tartan (MacGregor Trilogy - Book 2) by Grace Burrowes

Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 416
ISBN-10: 1402268696
ISBN-13: 978-1402268694

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)

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

Grace Burrowes on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

The Bridegroom Wore Plaid (2012), Once Upon a Tartan (2013)

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

Excerpt from Once Upon a Tartan, courtesy of the author's website.

Synopsis:

Honor or happiness—he can't have both.

Tiberius Flynn may be every inch an English lord, but smart, headstrong beauty Hester Daniels has no use for his high-handed ways--no matter how handsome, charming, or beguiling he is. They only see eye to eye in caring about the feisty little girl who is under their protection.

Tiberius's haughty insistence that his wealthy estate in England is a better place for the child than her beloved, rundown Scotland home sparks Hester's fierce protectiveness, and the battle lines are drawn.

Thoughts:

Once Upon a Tartan is the second book in Grace Burrowes' Scottish Victorian series, the MacGregor Trilogy. Burrowes excels at showing her characters personalities through banter and dialogue bringing readers along on an adventure in every story. Her characters are strong and vital and readers are drawn in by the authentic settings and eloquent technique of Burrowes' writing. This novel, a sequel to The Bridegroom Wore Plaid is an excellent example of solid romance writing that has a beauty and style of it's own. 

Grace Burrowes is arguably once of the best historical romance writers on the market today. She has way with words that that seems to weave a spell over her readers. Her books are poignant, reaching readers on a more intimate level than most romances. She is able to provoke emotion and build trust with her characters. Readers who have not tried a Grace Burrowes novel will be spellbound when they do. She is definitely one of my favorites and her latest series strikes a cord with me since I am of Scottish descent.

When I read any novel that is set in Scotland, I tend to start out a little skeptical. I know what I believe the setting should be, how the customs of the day should be portrayed and most importantly how I believe the men and women of Scotland should be represented. Some authors get it right and some don't. Those who don't, often write the way they think readers want highlanders to act and sound, not necessarily how they would really be. 

Burrowes has done her homework for this Scottish Victorian setting. She has the sound and attitude of her characters down to a science. Not only do her English characters fit the style of the times, but her Scottish characters also appear authentic and credible. Giving the book a sense of being realistic and believable. Making the story all the more enchanting.

Once Upon a Tartan is really a cross-border romance since the hero is an English Lord and the heroine is a Scottish highlander. I always enjoy that blend of two cultures when authors pit these two nationalities against each other. Tiberius has an air of arrogance and superiority, while Hester has that determined, Scottish attitude. They have both met their match in each other. They are passionate in and out of the bedroom and underneath their bold exteriors they are caring and loving individuals, putting the needs of their families before their own. 

Burrowes shows a deep connection between these two characters that goes way beyond physical attraction and it is evident in every interaction between them. Her characters are extremely well drawn and readers will love the way that Burrowes is able to show their personalities through their banter and dialogue. She uses subtle humor that will make the reader smile and sizzling romance scenes that will make them blush. This is definitely a good addition to this well written series.

Once Upon a Tartan is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

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

About the Author:

Grace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.

It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside. 

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one prize pack featuring  2 books: The Bridegroom Wore Pride and Once Upon a Tartan by Grace Burrowes.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 12th.

1. Please leave a comment describing your favorite accent, British, Scottish or otherwise and why you like it.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Sourcebooks and Grace Burrowes are giving away print copies of the first two books in the MacGregor Trilogy all month long. Check out all the great giveaways for more chances to win!

Giveaway Schedule—chances to win all month long!

8/1 Book Hounds

8/2 RomFan Reviews     

weekend                             

8/5 In the Hammock

8/6 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

8/7 Manga Maniac Café

8/8 What's on the Bookshelf

8/9 The Royal Reviews  

weekend                             

8/12 Joan Swan's Blog

8/13 Cocktails and Books

8/14 Romancing the Book

8/15 Ramblings from this Chick

8/16 Books-n-Kisses

weekend                             

8/19 Anna's Book Blog

8/20 The Book Girl

8/21 The Reading Café

8/22 Seductive Musings

8/23 Peeking Between the Pages

weekend                             

8/26 Love Romance Passion

8/27 So Many Precious Books, So Little Time      

8/28 Thoughts in Progress

8/29 Debbie's Book Bag

8/30 Linus' Blanket

Review and Giveaway: Remnants of Murder

Remnants of Murder (Southern Sewing Circle - Book 8) by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425257843
ISBN-13: 978-0425257845

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

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

Elizabeth Lynn Casey on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Sew Deadly (2009), Death Threads (2010), Pinned for Murder (2010), Deadly Notions (2011), Dangerous Alterations (2011), Reap What You Sew (2012), Let it Sew (2012), Remnants of Murder (2013)

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

Excerpt from Remnants of Murder, courtesy of the author's website.

Synopsis:

When a cantankerous Sweet Briar resident ends up six feet under, the ladies of the sewing circle have to deal with a town full of suspects…
 
With the library’s budget dwindling, Tori Sinclair is forced to let go of her predecessor, and fellow sewing circle member, Dixie Dunn. After losing her job a second time, Dixie decides to volunteer for Home Fare, delivering meals to the homebound.
 
Less than a week after Dixie starts, her client Clyde Montgomery is found dead. The police think he died of old age, but with most of the town badgering Clyde to sell his picturesque land, his passing seems a little too convenient.
 
Determined to prove that Clyde was murdered, Dixie asks Tori for some sleuthing assistance. But with so many Sweet Briar residents in possession of a compelling motive, the sewing circle ladies will have to needle out the truth to find the killer…

Thoughts:

Elizabeth Lynn Casey brings readers the eighth book in her Southern Sewing Circle mystery series, Remnants of Murder. Sewing enthusiasts and cozy mystery fans alike have become enamored with this series over the course of it's run. With an eclectic bunch of characters and a charming small town feel this series is not to be missed if you have a penchant for stitching or solving crimes. Tori and the gang are back and up to their usual amateur sleuthing and sewing. A great addition to a long running series!

I have to admit it. I can't sew... In the traditional sense anyway. I have been an avid cross-stitcher for years but when it comes to sewing anything on a machine or even on my hands, I'm at a loss. My daughter, however wanted to be fashion designer for quite some time and is very handy with a thread and needle. Regardless... I love this series! The Southern Sewing Circle series has a lot going for it, from interesting characters to a great setting.

Who wouldn't want to live in Sweet Briar? This charming southern town is exactly what a reader would expect. It's a small town where everybody knows your name and sometimes your business. The townspeople have become some of the best cozy characters I have read in a long time. Casey does an amazing job with setting, allowing the reader to actually feel like a part of this tight knit community. I think that's one of the best parts of the series.

Remnants of Murder takes place while Tori is planning her wedding to Milo. Or perhaps I should say, while she SHOULD be planning her wedding. Tori seems a little preoccupied in this one. She has a lot on her plate and has to take time out for more murder and mayhem. I can't blame Milo for being a little disgruntled or feeling like he is on the back burner, but what's a girl to do... when a murder happens in your back door? I loved the way that Casey incorporates Tori's love life into the story and reader gets to see both sides of Tori's life. 

I liked the fact that the whole sewing circle becomes involved in finding the killer. It isn't a one woman show. Every character in Casey's novel has a purpose and a back story. No one is left out and the reader feels like these characters have become friends now that we are in the eighth book in the series. Casey has a knack for making her characters believable and realistic. Readers can identify with their struggles and enjoy their successes. Each book is like going back to town for a visit.

The mystery aspect of this one was not predictable at all. I finally figured it out toward the end. But this one really kept me guessing. There were plenty of suspects and motives to choose from and Casey keeps readers on their toes with red herrings and clues that could lead you in the right direction but probably not all the way to the reveal without a lot of thinking. I like those kind. If you figure it out too early, all the fun goes out of it.

A great addition to an already great series!

Remnants of Murder is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

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

About the Author: 

While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend's house more than thirty years ago, Elizabeth Lynn Casey (a.k.a. Laura Bradford) fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do anything else.

Today, she is the author of the bestselling Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries. She also pens the Amish Mysteries under her real name, Laura Bradford. She lives in New York with her family.

www.elizabethlynncasey.com / www.laurabradford.com

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Remnants of Murder by Elizabeth Lynn Casey.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 11th.

1. Please leave a comment describing a sewing project you've done or want to do.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Omens

Omens (Cainsville - Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: 08/20/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Dutton
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 496
ISBN-10: 0525953043
ISBN-13: 978-0525953043

(Received for an honest review from Dutton)

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

Kelley Armstrong on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from Omens, courtesy of the author's website.

Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong begins her new series with Omens, featuring a compelling new heroine thrust into a decades-old murder case and the dark mysteries surrounding her strange new home. 

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

Thoughts:

Urban Fantasy writer Kelley Armstrong wrapped up her highly acclaimed Women of the Otherworld series, much to the regret of her many fans. Now readers are set to be drawn in by Armstrong's first book in the new Cainsville series. Omens is a bit of a departure from Armstrong's urban fantasy roots and delves more into Celtic mythology than the typical urban fantasy characters, the werewolf, and the vampire. Armstrong brings readers a new heroine in, Olivia (Liv) Taylor who may prove to be more than just your average Chicago debutante. A suspenseful first book in a new series by a well respected author!

Women of the Otherworld was probably one of my all time favorite urban fantasy series and Kelley Armstrong one of my favorite authors in the genre. When that series ended earlier this year I had mixed feelings. The characters had evolved and changed and really gotten into my heart. I missed them dearly just knowing there would not be another book in the series, but I was also a little bit excited. Because when one series ends, a new one can begin. 

Omens is the first book in the Cainsville series. It is definitely a little different from other books I've read by Kelley Armstrong and I think that's a good thing. Usually, her books are very strongly on the urban and high fantasy side of things. Her characters are most often werewolves, vampires and witches. In this book she takes a different route. The paranormal elements are a lot more subtle and understated than what I tend to expect from this author. They are certainly present, but more in the background, at least for now. But I have a feeling they will become more prevalent as this series continues. 

This was really what I would call a "set up" book. As with most first books in a series Armstrong focuses on world building and introducing both the setting and the characters for the entire series, but Omens takes that concept just a little further. It goes into detail on somethings, but barely scratches the surface on others, which is basically a lead in to another long series where the overall premise of the series is developed over several books. Which is something I love. Knowing that these are characters we are going to get to spend quite a bit of time with. 

I liked the way that Armstrong starts to build this world by giving the reader a new heroine, Olivia, whose world is turned completely upside down early in the novel. Olivia learns that she is not only adopted but that her parents are serving prison sentences for murder, both of them. This shocking turn of events leads Olivia away from life as a Chicago debutante and lands her in the very small town of Cainsville. Readers start to learn about Liv much like they did about Elena in the first Women of the Otherworld book. Omens is told from the first person point of view and allows the reader to see into the life and heart of the Liv Taylor a little bit at a time, as she tells her own story. Armstrong excels at writing in the first person and pulls it off with style in this book.

Readers are quickly drawn in to Liv's life and to the town of Cainsville. She believes that people in the town have no idea who she is, but the reader soon figures out that that's not quite the case. The townspeople of Cainsville are an interesting bunch and I found myself fascinated by the town itself and it's history. I have a feeling that those gargoyles and how the town is set up with elders and that kind of thing will really play a large part in the series. Celtic mythology certainly came to mind as the world building began with this one. 

I have to say I am really excited to see where Armstrong goes with this series. I think we are only seeing glimpses in this first book of where the author intends to go with this series. I think we have been introduced to a new heroine and a new town, but there is so much potential here. I liked the thriller/suspense edge that Omens provided. The back story of the main character being the daughter of serial killer couple and how she ends up in a very strange little town. It may be a bit different from what we have seen from Armstrong before, but I have a feeling it will start to lean more toward the paranormal as it continues.

In short... I loved it!

Omens is available NOW from your favorite book seller!

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

About the Author:

KELLEY ARMSTRONG is the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Otherworld series, as well as the New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising series. She lives in rural Ontario with her family.

Giveaway Details:

I was unable to host a giveaway for this title, but you can visit drey's library for a chance to win a copy of this amazing new book by Kelley Armstrong. You have until September 2nd, so get crackin'!

Review and Giveaway: Cover Story

Cover Story (Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery - Book 3) by Erika Chase

Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425252116
ISBN-13: 978-0425252116

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

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

Erika Chase on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

A Killer Read (2012), Read and Buried (2012), Cover Story (2013)

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

Excerpt from Cover Story, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

Murder is nothing novel for the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society—but this time the police want to throw the book at one of their own…

It’s time to celebrate when club member Molly Mathews’s childhood friend, Teensy Coldicutt, moves back to town—complete with a published book. But as the club plans Teensy’s book launch, Molly is attacked and Teensy’s books are stolen. Who would be so desperate for 150 copies of a sexy novel written by an elderly widow? Then Ashton Corners is hit with another shock when Teensy’s publisher turns up dead—and fellow club member and former police chief Bob Miller is taken into custody.

Convinced that Teensy’s missing books hold the key to the murder, Lizzie Turner and her band of readers are determined to hunt them down. But the plot thickens when their search leads them straight into a counterfeiting ring. Now they must unravel this surprise twist before the killer gets the chance to write someone else off…

Thoughts:

The third book in the Ashton Corners Book Club mystery series, Cover Story is an interesting mix of murder and publishing. Author Erika Chase has written a novel that has everything from missing titles for a book launch to a counterfeiting ring. Readers will find themselves in the middle of an intriguing mystery that leaves a trail of bodies that may lead to one of Ashton's Corners most celebrated citizens. Chases' attention to detail and knack for keeping the reader a little off balance makes this a must read for cozy mystery fans!

I always enjoy a book that has a book club at the center. The Ashton Corner's series features the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society, made up of some quirky characters who sometimes seem a little more interested in books than just about anything else. Cover Story, like the other books in the series is a nod to books in general, showcasing a quote from a book at the beginning of each chapter and following up at the end of the book with a reader list from each book club member. I think Chase hits the jackpot with this idea. Her continued references to books and authors is one of the things that makes this series so special. You never know which book may get a nod next.

Lizzie and the gang are back in Cover Story, this time planning a book launch party for one of the club members friends who has written a steamy novel. However, when the books are stolen and Molly is injured the crew from the book club is on the case. I generally enjoy how much these characters are into books and reading, but sometimes they get a little carried away. In this one I felt a little like they were more interested in the book launch party than the murder aspect of the story. They wanted to solve the murders of course but it was almost a secondary plot instead of the main focus of the book. 

That being said, I still enjoyed the novel and felt it was a good addition to the series. I had a hard time figuring this one out from the clues that were given, but understood the reason for that when the ending is revealed. It played out a little bit predictably but that was fine, since the journey to find the killer was still very interesting, including a few side stories that made the novel full of surprises. I liked the counterfeiting angle that comes into play and thought it was nice touch. 

Clearly the characters are the story in any book by Erika Chase. She has a way of providing the reader with just the right amount of info on each character to make them believable and interesting. Molly was the star of the show in this one. She was determined to figure it all out even after she was hurt when the books were stolen. I liked her energy in this one. Lizzie of course is the backbone of the book and the series and she is also very determined to prove that Bob Miller was not the killer. 

Though there were a few hiccups with this one, I think Cover Story advanced the series and helped readers learn just a little bit more about the Ashton Corner's Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society... what a name LOL!

Cover Story is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

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

About the Author:

Erika Chase writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries for Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime. In a parallel life she is also known as Linda Wiken, a former mystery bookstore owner. The first in the book club series, A Killer Read, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel from the Malice Domestic conference in 2013. Linda/Erika is also a short story writer and a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies' Killing Circle. She has been short-listed for an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Cover Story by Erika Chase.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 10th.

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