ONCE UPON A SPINE by Kate Carlisle

LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER by Victoria Hamilton

ONCE UPON A SPINE

Book 11 in the Bibliophile Mysteries

by Kate Carlisle

HARDCOVER

In this Bibliophile Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Books of a Feather, San Francisco bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright stumbles through the looking glass in a tale of murder, rare books, and a quest for the perfect pie…

Brooklyn's oh-so-proper future in-laws are traveling from England to meet her, and if that's not enough to set her on edge, rumors abound that the charming Courtyard shops across the street may be replaced by high-rise apartments. Their trendy neighborhood will be ruined unless Brooklyn and her fiancé, Derek Stone, can persuade the shopkeepers not to sell. 

But with a rare edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland causing bad blood at the Brothers Bookshop and a string of petty vandalism making everyone nervous, Brooklyn and Derek feel like they're attempting six impossible things before breakfast. Then the owner of the Rabbit Hole juice bar is felled by his own heavy shelves, and the local cobbler lies dead beside him. An accident . . . or something more sinister? Things get curiouser and curiouser when a second priceless copy of Alice is discovered. Will it stir up more trouble within the close-knit community?  

As the Brits descend, Brooklyn learns they're not so stuffy after all. Derek's dad is won over with chocolate cream pie, and his psychic mum would kill to help Brooklyn solve this murder—before another victim takes a tumble.

MY REVIEW

I simply love the thrill of discovery that comes with the stories in the Bibliophile Mysteries. As a book lover, the thought of finding a rare edition of one of my favorite books, well, it makes my toes wiggle. I’ll admit, I wasn’t excited about the treasured volume of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland like main character, Brooklyn Wainwright was. I have never liked that tale. But, I was wrapped up in Brooklyn’s excitement about it.

ONCE UPON A SPINE is another well written installment in the Bibliophile Mysteries. And it certainly shares something in common with the story of Alice, not everything it as it seems. This was a clever mystery that had my brain hopping around like a frantic rabbit, trying to guess the outcome.

More than just a mystery, ONCE UPON A SPINE introduced new characters to readers, Derek’s parents. I enjoyed the energy of the story when they were in the scene. They were simply delightful, and fit in perfectly with the already established characters. I’m looking forward to their next appearance in the series.   

As if all of that isn’t enough to entice you to read this book, wait until you see some of the sassy recipes included with names like Hot Buttered Rump Bites, and Perky Breast Nibbles. ;-)

Available now!

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LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER

Book 6 in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries

by Victoria Hamilton

In the brand-new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of White Colander Crime, someone with an old grudge decides it’s time to bury the hatchet . . .

“Smartly written and successfully plotted, the debut of this new cozy series . . . exudes authenticity.” —Library Journal on A Deadly Grind 

Vintage cookware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton has agreed to help her sister clear out the house of a deceased older neighbor, and she’s thrilled at the prospect of discovering antique kitchenware and other treasures—until she opens a vintage trunk in the cellar and finds the remains of a teenage girl with a cleaver buried in her skull. When the body of a second girl is found just days later in a nearby river, the clues all indicate that the crimes are connected—and that the culprit’s motives are hidden in the past.

Jaymie just wants to cut and run, but the victims were both high school classmates of her sister when they disappeared, and that makes Jaymie the perfect person to help the local police investigate the killings. As she dredges up old memories and even older rivalries and jealousies, her list of suspects grows. But Jaymie knows she’ll have to whittle it down to just one, and fast, because someone has decided to cut their ties to Jaymie—in the most fatal of ways . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

MY REVIEW

I was thrilled to hear that the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries had new life breathed into them, and would live on! So many of my (and yours no doubt) favorite cozy mystery series have meant with an untimely end this year. Thank goodness this series will be staying with us.

Another stupendous installment in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, book six, LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER is my favorite so far! I know a smidgen of that is because I thought we’d lost this series, but the main reason is that this story was so very well written.

Author Victoria Hamilton takes readers on a journey of a mystery from the past. One that becomes very much part of present for Jaymie Leighton and her sister, Rebecca. Ms. Hamilton did a superb job switching from the present to the past, and then back again. I never felt lost, and the story never felt disjointed. Quite the contrary. I looked forward to each shift in the timeline as it just made the mystery more intense. So very well done.

As well as being a whodunit, LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER was a sweet story of love and family, and fresh beginnings. Beginnings to me that will most certainly enhance what is already a great series.  

And don’t close the book before you check out the vintage recipe from Jaymie’s kitchen, and read the excerpt of MUFFIN TO FEAR from Victoria Hamilton’s Merry Muffin Mystery series! 

Releases June 23!

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Get yours today!               Pre-order now!

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