Wednesday, December 31, 2014

It's
Whodunit Wednesday EXTENDED!

Do you like to solve mysteries?
Do you love to win prizes?
If you said yes to both questions,
you're in the right place! 

It's easy.
Read the following story and if you think you know
Whodunit, enter your answer into 
the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway is open to US and Canada

This week's Whodunit is being hosted by author
Joyce & Jim Lavene / J. J. Cook!

And to send 2014 out with a bang, Joyce & Jim are giving one lucky reader 

One copy of 
SPELL BOOKED by Joyce & Jim Lavene
Book 1 in the Retired Witches Mystery series
The national bestselling authors of the Missing Pieces Mysteries summon up the first Retired Witches Mystery in a brand new supernatural series...

Once upon a time in Wilmington, North Carolina, three witches ran a curio shop named Smuggler’s Arcane. But as the years passed, their magical powers started to fade—leaving them no choice but to conjure up a retirement package…  
 
Before they could blink their eyes or twitch their noses, Molly, Elsie, and Olivia somehow became eligible for AARP. But they can’t fly off to Boca Raton just yet. First they must give up their magic, recruit and train three new witches, and pass on their cherished spellbook.
 
They’ve barely begun to consider potential practitioners when Olivia winds up dead and their spellbook is stolen. To honor their friend and reclaim their spells, Molly and Elsie are about to go wand-to-wand with a dangerous young witch more powerful than the trio was in their prime. And this time they’re going to need more than magic up their sleeves…

One copy of 
IN HOT WATER by J. J. Cook
Book 3 in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery series
Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, has the world’s hottest and sweetest peppers—as well as a ghost that cooks and a fire chief who fights crime…
 
SPARK OF INTEREST
 
Stella Griffin should be bubbling over with joy now that she’s the full-time fire chief of Sweet Pepper, except trouble is brewing on her doorstep. An angry resident has purchased her cabin, and—with a bulldozer in tow—is ready to tear it down. But as Stella worries over the fate of her home and Eric, her ghostly roommate, there’s soon an even greater cause for alarm.
 
A suspicious house fire in the pricey Sunset Beach community at Sweet Pepper Lake claims the life of ex-state representative Barney Falk. The nature of the death has Stella feeling out of her depth, so she teams up with the state’s arson investigator. Moving full steam ahead with the case, they must smoke out a killer before the firebug strikes again…

INCLUDES RECIPES!

and

One $20.oo Amazon Gift Card! 

Just answer today's Whodunit and you could be the lucky winner!

Let's get started!

MRS. KRENSHAW'S SPARE KEY


   "I hate to bother you, Mr. Holmes."

   Sherman's neighbor, Mrs. Krenshaw, led him across the street from his house to hers, a tidy Victorian gem set in the pristine white of a recent snowfall. The elderly widow was remarkably self-sufficient and walked with a strong, confident gait.

   "I know I ought to go to the police," she said in a fluttering voice. "But Hank and Edgar are both such good friends. If you could find some way of getting my vase back without calling in the authorities..." She pressed her hand into his. "You're so very clever about these things."

   Sherman blushed and cleared his throat. "Tell me about the vase, Mrs. Krenshaw." 

   She spoke eagerly. "You know that TV program, America's Tresures, the one where people bring in antiques and the experts tell where they came from and how much they're worth. Well, I had this old vase handed down to me by my mother. I took it over to the Armory yesterday, where they were filming the show. An expert appraised it at $20,000. It was all very exciting, being on TV and having such a rarity." 

   "And you think wither Hank or Edgar broke into your house and stole it?"

   "I don't know what else to think. Look."

   Sherman looked. In the middle of the lawn sat a flowerpot on top of a stump. A single set of footprints crossed the snow-covered lawn to the stump then crossed away again toward the front door. Mrs. Krenshaw trampled through the snow to the stomp.

   "The house was unlocked when I got home from shopping a few minutes ago. I never leave it unlocked. Sure enough, the antique vase was gone. Then I saw these footprints out here. I came right over to you." She lifted the flowerpot and pointed to a key hidden beneath it. "I know it's stupid to leave a key out here like this, but everybody does it."

   "Both Edgar and Hank know where you keep your spare key?"

   "Yes. And they knew about the vase. I just had to tell them my wonderful news."

   Once inside the house, Sherman telephoned Hank, Lyda Krenshaw's next-door neighbor, and Edgar, a gentleman friend who lived two blocks away. Hank was the first to arrive.

   "I've been home all morning," Hank explained. He was a young, slight bachelor and didn't seem outraged to be considered a suspect. "I was paying bills at my desk. It's got a view of the street and I didn't notice any cars stopping or people walking by. Of course, I wasn't staring out the window every second." Sherman checked the man's shoes. They were wet from the snow, but his trouser legs appeared to be dry. 

   Edgar rang the bell a few minutes later. He seemed more annoyed by Sherman's inquiries. "I took my dog for a walk this morning. I passed by this block, but I didn't see anyone. And I certainly didn't go into Lyda's house."

   Sherman left the men and joined Mrs. Krenshaw in the kitchen. "I'm not sure I can help you," he admitted. "Was the vase insured?"

She thought for a moment. "I suppose it's covered by my homeowner's policy. Does this mean you don't know who took it?"

   "Oh, I know who took it. I just don't think you'll like the answer."

Who stole the vase? 

What clue gave the thief away?

 The Whodunit Wednesday solution will be posted on tomorrow's blog .

I want to thank Joyce and Jim for hosting this week's Whodunit Wednesday.

Learn more about Joyce and Jim Lavene

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

I would love for you to follow my blog. 
Click on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page!


GOOD LUCK!     

a Rafflecopter giveaway

52 comments:

  1. We're excited to be here today, Lisa! Thanks for inviting us!

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    1. Happy New Year's Eve to you both! I look forward to another year a fun and reading with you!

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  2. I would really like to know the answer but I have not read this book yet but would love to win it. Thank you for making Lisa's blog so interesting to read today.....such fun.
    Cynthia

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    1. Cynthia, read the short story here on the blog and make your guess from that.

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  3. Thanks, Lisa and Joyce & Jim! What a great giveaway! Looking forward to more great posts and books in 2015!

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    1. Hi Patricia! Glad you could be here. Happy New year!

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  4. Lol! The answer I put is hilarious. I wonder if I'm right?

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  5. Happy New Year's all!
    Fingers crossed to win this week. I want those books so badly.
    They would warm up my winter for sure.

    Thank you Lisa for exercising our brains each week.

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  6. Just want to say hi to Joyce & Jim! I'm a huge fan & thoroughly love all their books! Hi guys! [waving!]
    Margaret
    aka Stash Empress

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  7. That was fun, thanks for the great puzzles to solve.

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    1. That was fun guessing whodunit!! I love Joyce and Jim Lavene/J.J. Cook's Cozies! Fantastic giveaway! Thank you! Happy New Year!

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    2. Thank you Melina! I have a lot of fun with them.

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    3. Thanks for being here, Linda! Happy New Year!

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  8. Happy New Year, Lisa and to everyone! Right off Spell Booked sounds like a fun cozy. I've never read any of Joyce and Jim Lavene's cozies. I'll have to put them on my TBR list. Both books presented today sound great. Thank you.

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    1. Susan, you will love their books. They are wonderful writers. Thanks for stopping by!

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    2. Thanks for stopping by, Susan! Happy New Year!

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  9. Happy New Year! Thanks for the mystery!

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  10. I was finally able to get my answer in regarding who the thief was. After we went out today to choose our new car which we should get on Friday or Monday at the latest, we picked up our two youngest grandchildren and brought them to our house to stay while our daughter and oldest granddaughter worked at a local church to prepare and serve a meal to the needy. We just finished dinner, the children left and now I had a chance to figure out who the thief was. Hope that I am right as I sure do want to get some cozies and the gift cards would be immensely appreciated. Thank you Joyce and Jim and Lisa too. Love your blog; just wish that I had time every single day to enter the contests. Happy New Year everyone.
    Cynthia

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    1. You had a full day, Cynthia! As far as the contests go, no worries. There are still plenty more planned for 2015 with returning favorite authors and new authors too! Happy New Year!

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  11. Happy New Year!! I read the whodunit every week-never guess it correctly LOL

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    1. Thanks for being here, Christy! Happy New Year!

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    2. Happy New Year, Christie. LOL I never get them right either. I type up the story, study it, think I know sometimes, have no idea others, and 9.999999% of the time I get it wrong! :-)

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  12. I want to thank Joyce and Jim for the wonderful giveaway. What a way to send out the old year and usher in the new!

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  13. I feel fairly confident that I got it right-after all, I do read a lot if mysteries! I'm practically a PI. LOL Good luck to everyone!

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    1. LOL Melinda. I read mostly mysteries only and I would stink as a PI! Thanks for stopping by!

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  14. Great fun! Looking forward to the solution! Happy new year!

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    1. Happy New Year, Linda! And the solution has been posted!

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  15. Hoping everyone is having a wonderful day and Happy New Year!

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  16. Thanks for the chance! I hope I got it right!

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  17. So sorry I didn't see who won earlier, I finally scrolled down the page further and there was the winner posted. Congratulations to Kathleen. Lucky lady.

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