I'm so excited to join #BerkleyMystery in celebrating the February 20 hardcover  release of 

CLAWS FOR CONCERN

Book 9 in the Car In The Stacks Mysteries

by author

Miranda James

Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are embroiled in a new mystery when a cold case suddenly heats up in the latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Charlie Harris is busy enjoying his new grandson when a mysterious man with a connection to Charlie's family starts visiting the library, bringing with him troubling questions about an unsolved murder...

Charlie may be a proud new grandfather, but he and Diesel still have work to do at Athena College and the small Mississippi town's public library. He's too busy to deal with true-crime writer Jack Pemberton, who wants Charlie as the subject of his latest book--and who won't take no for an answer. 
 
A more appealing proposition for Charlie is spending time helping a kind, elderly man navigate the library's genealogical database. But he's shocked when he learns that the visitor's search is focused on a member of his own family: his late aunt's husband.

Charlie befriends the man and considers inviting him to stay in his home, but he's soon given reason to question that notion. Jack is certain that Charlie's new house guest was involved in a shocking homicide that took place years ago in a small town near Athena. As this cold case heats up, Charlie and Diesel have to uncover a killer who may already be too close to home...

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*****!!!GIVEAWAY!!!*****

One lucky reader will win a hardcover copy of

CLAWS FOR CONCERN

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

USA only

This giveaway was made possible by 

#BerkleyMystery.

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MY REVIEW

Murder in a cozy mystery doesn’t always happen on page four. Author Miranda James offers readers a cold case twenty years old. This made for an even more thrilling case to try and solve for series lead, Charlie Harris, and for readers!

With CLAWS FOR CONCERN, there’s not much I can say other than what I say each time I read a book in the Cat in the Stacks mysteries. Author James has created an excellent plot that draws the reader swiftly into the story. With the same consistent style, the author’s writing held me spell bound as I joined Charlie and Diesel in their investigation of the decades old case.

A fun addition to the series for readers is the presence of Charlie’s new grandson, and his and Diesel’s interaction with the baby. Charlie is such a proud Grandfather, I could feel the love oozing of the pages. And Diesel’s fascination with the baby brought a smile to my face.

A great addition to this series, CLAWS FOR CONCERN is written proof of why readers continuously return to the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.

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Now available for pre-order

Release date:

February 20

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About Miranda

Miranda James is the pseudonym of Dean James, a seventh-generation Mississippian recently returned home after over thirty years in Texas. A mystery fan since the age of ten, he wrote his first novel at the ripe old age of twelve. The only copy of The Mystery of the Willow Key vanished years ago, but since it was highly derivative of the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mystery series, that’s probably a good thing.

His first novel, Cruel as the Grave (Silver Dagger Mysteries) was published in 2000. Since then he has published eighteen more novels, writing under his own name and the pseudonyms Jimmie Ruth Evans and Honor Hartman. In August 2010 he launched a new series writing as Miranda James. The first book under this name, Murder Past Due (Berkley Prime Crime; $7.99) spent four weeks on the extended New York Times bestseller list for mass market paperbacks.

Dean lives with two young cats, thousands of books, and thinks frequently about killing people – but only in the pages of fiction.

catinthestacks.com

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Time to enter the giveaway!

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I'm so excited to join Berkley in celebrating the

February 6 release of 

CLAIRVOYANT AND PRESENT DANGER

is book 3 in the Bay Island Phychic Mysteries

by author

Lena Gregory

A haunting vision reveals a ghostly grave in the latest Bay Island Psychic Mystery from the author of Occult and Battery.

Whoever said that dead men tell no tales has never met Cass Donnovan...

Cass has always relied on her abilities to guide her, but after communications with a ghost land her in the middle of a murder investigation, she has to wonder if her gifts are really more a curse.

Cass knows she is meant to help track down the killer--much to the chagrin of local law enforcement--when the apparition leads her to a dead body on the beach near her psychic shop, Mystical Musings. But the police are not the only ones who wish Cass would stick to reading palms. Someone is trying to scare her off, and it will take all her powers of premonition to catch the killer before Cass herself becomes the next victim...

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Pros and Cons of Living on Bay Island

by

Cass Donovan

I own a small psychic shop on Bay Island, a small island nestled between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York. Though I grew up on Bay Island, I’ve spent the past seventeen years—up until last year, anyway—living in New York City. Manhattan to be exact, which technically is still an island but so different from Bay Island, it may as well be a million miles away instead of less than a hundred.

Life on Bay Island moves at a much slower pace, and I can’t say I miss the hustle and bustle of the city. Since I live just a few miles down the beach from my shop, I often walk to work. If it’s warm enough, I take my shoes off and walk along the surf. During the summer months, the beaches are crowded, even fairly early in the morning, but in the spring and fall I’m often one of only a few people strolling or jogging along the beach. Staring out across the bay waters brings a sense of peace I never managed to find anywhere else.

Bay Island is small. You can drive across the entire island in half an hour, less if there’s no traffic in town. Although summer brings flocks of tourists, during the remainder of the year the island is left mostly to the locals. Because it’s a small community most of the year, everyone pretty much knows everyone else, which can be a pro or a con, depending on how you look at it. When my parents passed away last year, and I returned home to see to the arrangements, the town mourned with me. The florist, whom I’d gone to high school with, had come around the counter to offer a hug and cry with me. The funeral director’s expression had been a grimace of true grief, rather than the grim but distant expression he usually would have deemed appropriate for such a somber occasion. And the priest had concluded the ceremony with a hitch in his voice. That warmth is what kept me on Bay Island after the funeral, the sense of home and community you just can’t find in a big city.

The only major con I can think of for living on Bay Island, though, is the isolation. Since we’re surrounded on all sides by water, with no bridges to the mainland, the ferry is the only means of public transportation to and from the island. While that’s nice most of the time, it can be a problem as well. Tourists never stop in and visit the shops on their way through to somewhere else—either they are visiting Bay Island, or they’re not—which makes it difficult to make ends meet during the winter months. And storms present a problem. Hurricanes and snowstorms close the ferry down, leaving Bay Island to fend for itself.

But all in all, I love living in the small island community. I can always stop in the local diner, bakery or deli and get the latest gossip. I have close friends I wouldn’t trade for the world. And I have the shop I’ve worked so hard for.

What do you think? Would you like living on an island?

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ABOUT LENA

Lena lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children. 

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

www.lenagregory.com

Available February 6

Pre-order today!

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GET BOOKED

Book 1 in the Half Reads Case Files Mysteries

by Bridget Tighe

"Get Booked" is the story of Megan McDougal, a passionate, quirky children’s librarian who has returned to her small home town in Montana after mysteriously becoming a soldier’s widow and single mother. She is finding new joy in life with family, and her hilariously likeable friends in the Half Reads Book Club. When Megan’s neighbor, a crazy cat lady, is murdered, this unlikely bunch of fun-loving readers jump at the opportunity for gossip and a good mystery. The generously vivacious Phyllis, an emergency services dispatcher, acts as the group’s link to law enforcement and no one knows more about what really goes on. The gallant and roguish Sergeant Tim Sayer has his eye on Megan, and not just because she is poking around for evidence and suspects, but is she ready? Or is the kind and quiet mailman Toby, more likely to be the one who delivers? Could raging Ralph Swenson have finally gone too far, offing his neighbor for letting her cats use his yard as a litterbox? What about the cat burglar who has been sneaking into homes and stealing without leaving a single mark or fingerprint? Then there’s the ex-boyfriend, Richard, seeking to reignite passions only to be spurned. The nephew living in the basement has been acting suspiciously, carrying needles, disappearing - could he have done her in when she tried to kick him out? Excitement and intrigue drive this eccentric book club to leave their comfort zone in search of the killer, and only their unique resourcefulness and peculiar perseverance get them clues, but everything is dead ends. Pressure mounts and the reality of danger is real, with a killer loose and the possibility that the illusive burglar is really the murderer searching for another victim.This story, set in rural Rutley, Montana,stands out from other cozy mysteries because it is sexy, thrilling, and hilarious with one unexpected twist after another.

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MY REVIEW

A fun, and feisty debut. Author Bridget Tighe is a sassy new voice to the cozy genre. Never have I read such a unique, and quirky mystery.

GET BOOKED is far and away from a typical cozy mystery. With eclectic characters ranging from cheeky to abrupt, I never knew just what they would say or do next. One of my favorite lines was, “What kind of chitty chitty bang bang crap was this?” Seriously, I never knew what to expect. It led to some dropped mouthed, and laugh out loud moments for me. And the way protagonist Megan McDougal went about her sleuthing, with the help of her friends in the Half Reads Book Club, was at times comical, and sitcom worthy.   

A very fast moving read, I read GET BOOKED in just a few hours. It had a good mystery element going for it. One that really held my attention. And the reason for the murder? Well, it was enough to make this book reviewer gasp and almost drop my book. (You’ll understand why when you read it.) LOL

I look forward to more offerings from author Tighe.    

 

I'm a bit unsure as to which cover readers will receive. The white and pink appears on Amazon, and both covers appear on Goodreads. 

The photo from my review was an advance copy, and unlikely to be the final cover.

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As always, please leave a comment and 

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It's

Cozy Food Friday

That means it's time to share a recipe from 

another great cozy mystery!

BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS

Book 4 in Country Store Mysteries

by Maddie Day

For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana—until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .
 
As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans ‘N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes—and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur’s knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?

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On To The Recipe!

ROBBIE'S ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS

Photo property of blackpeppercorn,com

Photos  found via Google Images, and its contributors, with many thanks. 

Your finished dish will vary in appearance.

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

1 large head of garlic

2 cups cooked chickpeas

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini

¼ cup warm water

1 lemon, juice of

½ teaspoon salt

Dash soy sauce to taste

A few drops of hot sauce to taste

Property of  dishmaps.com

Directions

Cut off a quarter inch from the top of the garlic so that the tops of most of the cloves are exposed slightly. Set on a square of tin foil, drizzles a bit of olive oil into the cut top, and seal foil around garlic into a packet. Roast in oven for forty-five minutes or until soft. Remove and allow to cool.

Using your fingers, squeeze the soft, roasted garlic out of each clove into food processor. (Options: use only half if you like a milder garlic flavor, or none at all, as desired.)

Property of brendajwiley.com

Rinse and drain chickpeas. Add the chickpeas, oil, tahini, water, lemon juice, and salt to the food processor and blend until completely smooth. Tip: Measure the oil and add it, then use the same tablespoon for the tahini so it slides off the spoon and doesn't stick. Add a dash soy sauce and a few drops of hot sauce. 

Stop and scrape ingredients off sides of food processor several times to make sure it blends evenly. If the hummus is too thick, drizzle in additional olive oil at this time. Add it very slowly, allowing the mixture to combine fully before adding more liquid. 

Serve at room temperature with triangles of pita bread, raw vegetables, or crackers, or us as a spread on sandwiches. Refrigerate extra. 

Photo property strongertogether.coop

Roasted garlic. Mmm! 

You know that hummus has to be tasty!

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Please keep reading to check out my 

installments of 

Book Beginnings on Fridays

and

The Friday 56

Both the BB and 56 are from

BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader

Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading.

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's okay.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you. *Post it.

My Book Beginnings

The banner outside Pans 'N Pancakes proclaimed "JOIN MAPLE MANIA!" The Brown County Maple Festival's logo of a grinning bottle of syrup beamed its invitation.

My 56%

"Mmm, garlicky. So it's chickpeas, tahini, roasted garlic," she said. "What else? A little citrus?"

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WHAT'S COOKING?

❅❅❅ Food on ice!❅❅❅

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36 MAKE AHEAD MEALS

EASY FREEZER RECIPES

Breakfast : Lunch : Dinner

Illustrated Complete Freezing Guide

This is a freezer recipe book packed with delicious make ahead meal ideas. It is also a complete guide to freezing foods. The freezer recipes will have you covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner with a few snacks and smoothies included too. Each recipe is accompanied by a picture so you can see what the finished recipe will look like. Measurements are in both imperial and metric so the book is user friendly, no matter where you live in the world! I have also included charts and links to guidelines giving more information on freezer cooking, freezer organization and freezer thawing.

Make ahead meals can give us more precious time, they can save us money when we buy in bulk, and there isn't cooking and clean up at each meal time! You get more time to spend with your family or do the things you want to do.

There are many ways to preserve food, freezing is just one of them. You can freeze individual foods or make ahead meals including pastries, soups and stews. Unexpected guests arriving on the door step can be stressful...not if you have some freezer recipes handy in the fridge. Life in the kitchen can be made a whole lot easier when you plan ahead. Cooking larger quantities of foods at once then freezing into smaller quantities and portions has many benefits. It's especially helpful if you have young children, are a shift worker or live on your own.

It's wonderful getting home after a busy day and having a meal already prepared and ready to go. Instead of cooking every night, you can choose to cook double or triple every second or third night. Your kitchen will be a whole lot cleaner too! There will be far less mess and fewer dishes. If you think smart and think ahead, you can be putting up your feet more often.

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MY REVIEW

36 MAKE AHEAD MEALS is a great book for anyone who likes to get all of their cooking for the week done in one day. It’s also perfect for making plan ahead meals to take to parties, give to a neighbors, or send home with a family members.

With chapters like, Tips for Freezing Foods, Foods That Don’t Freeze Well, How to Thaw Foods Correctly, and many more helpful chapters in between, I now feel like I know everything I need to know about freezing wonderful meals.

36 MAKE AHEAD MEALS is also filled with many fantastic recipes perfect for freezing. Apple Puree Pancakes, Gluten Free Healthy Granola, Easy Pizza, Lentil Soup with Lemon Cream, Salmon & Zucchini Patties, Easy Salsa Chicken, Potstickers, Vegetarian Tortelli, Hearty Hungarian Goulash, Banana Bender Muffins, just to name a few!

 I found a nice pro and a con in this book. Pro: Measurements are in both imperial and metric, making the book reader friendly no matter where you live. Con: There are color photos so you can see what the finished dish looks like. However, this book is made for Kindle. The photos are so small you have to zoom in to get a decent view of them, which makes the recipe disappear from the page.

Other than my one con, which won’t be a big deal to everyone, I found 36 MAKE AHEAD MEALS: EASY FREEZER RECIPES, to be an informative book that I will use over and over. Author Peggy Anner has many other helpful books such as this one, and I will be checking them out.

Note: I was lucky enough to get book when it was featured for free. It is free to those with Amazon Unlimited, but at the time of this posting, the cost was only $2.99 which is well worth the price.

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