BOOK TOUR

I'm thrilled to be a stop on the blog tour for author

Dana Dratch

and

Book 1 in the Red Herring Mysteries

CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING

As a reporter, she’s used to covering the news.
Now she’s the headline.
 
Alex Vlodnachek has been a reporter for 12 years, a P.R. rep for three months, and a murder suspect for all of 24 hours. When her agency's double-dealing CEO is stabbed, scheming co-workers cast the new redhead as a compelling red herring. The story is media catnip—especially her salacious nickname: Vlod the Impaler.
 
Even Alex has to admit she looks guilty.
 
Out of a job and under suspicion, Alex is running low on cash, when she’s visited by a second disaster: her family. Soon her tiny bungalow is bursting with her nearest and not-so-dearest. To keep herself out of jail—and save what’s left of her sanity—Alex returns to her reporting roots. She goes undercover to reclaim her life, break the story, and unmask a murderer. Pretty much in that order.
 
What she doesn’t know: The killer also has a to-do list. 
And Alex is on it.

📚📖📚📖📚

!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

Winner will be chosen after June 10

at the end of the tour

2 lucky readers will each win 1 print copy of
CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING

USA only

Enter using the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.

This giveaway is through Great Escape Book Tours, not Lisa Ks Book Reviews.

www.escapewithdollycas.com

A Word From The Author

The Importance of Food in the Cozy

By Dana Dratch

It’s a classic combination: food and cozy mysteries.

Almost as good as chocolate and peanut butter. Or chocolate and anything.

But it wasn’t always that way. Edgar Allan Poe is widely credited with inventing the modern detective story. But he cared more about motive, guilt and atmosphere, than what was on the dinner table. Save a cask or two of Amontillado. 

And Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes was more likely to be sawing away on his violin than tucking into a good lunch.

But somewhere along the way – about the time of mystery’s Golden Age – all of that changed. Detectives, sidekicks and victims alike were sitting down to bountiful breakfasts at country estates, afternoon tea with all the trimmings, and delectable dinners prepared by trusted, old family retainers. Granted, diners didn’t always live through the meal. But for true foodies (whose books often bear the odd splatter of strawberry jam or hot fudge sauce), this was a huge step in the right direction.

So it’s no coincidence that today’s mysteries (often penned by authors who skip breakfast or write through lunch), feature a virtual buffet. Good thing, too. Because readers may show up for the murder, but they stay (and keep coming back) for the food.

Canny cozy writers are setting their stories in candy stores, restaurants, caterer’s kitchens and coffee houses. And, whether your tastes run to Pennsylvania Dutch treats  or a savory New England clam bake, you can vicariously indulge in a little sleuthing  -- and a hearty meal.

Some very thoughtful authors even slip in a few recipes, in case you want to try to whip up your favorite mystery menu. (Minus the dead bodies, of course.)

Forget Julia Child. For the real cozy fan, the (recipe) book to die for is The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.

The cozy mystery: It’s what’s for dinner. And definitely dessert.

Dana Dratch is the author of CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING, out May 29. A former newspaper reporter and current personal finance writer, she’s currently finishing the sequel, SEEING RED, which has Alex, Trip, rescue-pup Lucy, and the whole crazy Vlodnachek family going up against spies, art thieves and a very determined murderer.  You can visit her website: ConfessionsofaRedHerring.com. Or connect with her on Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon, or Twitter (@ReadAboutMoney)

Well written with an intricate plot, CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING is a good debut book for author Dana Dratch.

Ms. Dratch wasted no time getting to the murder in this whodunit. And, her protagonist, Alex Vlodnachek , found herself to be the lead suspect in the before the end of first chapter! While I love a fastmoving book, I would like to haven gotten to know Alex a bit more. As for the victim, I didn’t need any time to get to know him.He was very smarmy, and any number of people would have been happy to do him in.

Some of the language wasn’t necessary for a cozy. Not a lot of it, but enough for it to stick out at me. I’m finding more and more “cozy” authors using cursing in their books. Be it mild or not, it simply isn’t needed in this type of book.  

I didn’t solve the mystery in CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING, but when I read the killer’s name it all because clear and I couldn’t believe I must have overlooked some clues that would have helped me guess successfully. All those red herrings the author through in really did a number on me.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Publishers

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 28 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 29 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 29 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
May 30 – The Ninja Librarian - REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 30 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
May 31 – Sneaky the Library Cat's Blog - CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 31 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 1 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 2 – MJB Reviewers - REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 2 – The Montana Bookaholic - CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 3 - Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 3 - Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
June 4 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 4 – Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 5 – The Self-Rescue Princess – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 5 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 6 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
June 6 – Moonlight Rendezvous - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 7 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
June 7 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW
June 8 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
June 8 – StoreyBook Reviews - REVIEW
June 9 – Brooke Blogs - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 10 – The Mysterious Inkspot – REVIEW
June 10 – Laura's Interests – CHARACTER GUEST POST

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