Monday, June 6, 2016


Lisa Ks Book Reviews blog is proud to bring to you
THE COZY TIMES
Special Edition

This is a weekly online publication focused on connecting cozy mystery readers to favorite cozy characters by way of their town's newspapers. 

Today The Cozy Times is featuring the 
South Cove Gazette

Let's take a look at what's happening in 
South Cove this week. 
Check out these articles from the Gazette!

New Shop Fills Historic Bank Building

Last month, the historic Bank of California building was sold to Kathi Corbin, formerly a Miss Texas contestant and new resident to South Cove.  Kathi plans on opening a store she called Tea Hee.  “The store will be like a huge tea party for adults,” Ms. Corbin said during a recent phone interview with yours truly. “You can buy cups and pots and even the best tea for your next Sunday afternoon event. “
Talking to Kathi, I fell in love with her southern accent. The woman could charm a rattle snake out of a desert cave in the middle of the day. She’s probably why Mayor Baylor is so excited about the new business coming to town. When I called for a quote from city hall, Mayor Baylor went on for at least an hour about how South Cove is totally, “open for business.”  When I asked specifically about how Ms. Corbin will fit into our little community, he said, “She will be welcomed with open arms.”

Totally cliché answer from our honorable mayor who is up for re-election next year.  Adding new businesses to our local economy is supposed to be part of his job, but from what I learned through the gossip train was Ms. Corbin, like many of our business owners, found South Cove all on her own. Kathi had been looking for a vacation spot and where better than to hang around our town.

Jill Gardner, owner of the popular, Coffee, Books and More is one of those business owners who found her way to South Cove organically. I’ve heard Jill tell stories about how she decided to chuck her corporate law life and turn into one of us.  Of course, we’re
glad to have Jill and other businesses, no matter how they learned about our laid back style of life here on the central California coast.

Tea Hee should be open for tourist season this summer. And I’ll be one of Kathi’s first customers since I haven’t had a tea set since I broke my china tea pot at five. Or should I say, my brother crushed the delicate china with his BMX bike. I cried for weeks.

Now, with Kathi’s help, I’ll be able to invite my friends over for tea anytime.

***** 

Sadie Michael’s shares her Summer Lemon Surprise recipe


Have you had the newest creation from Pies on the Fly this summer? If not, get down to Coffee, Books, and More for a slice of the lemon cheesecake. Diamond Lille’s also serves the delightful dessert, but only on Sunday’s. So don’t miss out.

But if you want to try it on your own, Sadie agreed to share her recipe with our readers. Check out the finished product picture below. 

Put this to-die-for-cheesecake is up on your menu soon.

Ingredients:
  •          2 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese
  •         1/2 cup sugar
  •          1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  •          1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  •          1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  •          1/2 tablespoons flour
  •          2 eggs, room temperature
  •          A couple drops yellow food color (if you want it really yellow)
  •           1 Graham Cracker Crust (pre-made)

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth and pour into your crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

(Thanks to http://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com for the pictures. Used with permission from the author.)
*****

~~~~~
That's this week's edition of 
The Cozy Times
Special Edition 
I hope you enjoyed!

******************
To learn more about wonder South Cove, and 
it's residents, read the 
Tourist Trap Mystery series by author 
Lynn Cahoon!


Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today bestselling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. Guidebook to Murder, book 1 of the series won the Reader's Crown for Mystery Fiction in 2015. She's also the author of the soon to be released, Cat Latimer series, with the first book, A STORY TO KILL, releasing in mass market paperback September 2016.She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies. Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com

TEA CUPS AND CARNAGE
Book 7 in the Tourist Trap Mysteries
by Lynn Cahoon

Pre-order your copy today
 Releases 
Tuesday June 7!

The quaint coastal town of South Cove, California, is all abuzz about the opening of a new specialty shop, Tea Hee. But as Coffee, Books, and More owner Jill Gardner is about to find out, there's nothing cozy about murder . . .
Shop owner Kathi Corbin says she came to South Cove to get away from her estranged family. But is she telling the truth? And did a sinister someone from her past follow her to South Cove? When a woman claiming to be Kathi's sister starts making waves and a dead body is found in a local motel, Jill must step in to clear Kathi's name--without getting herself in hot water.

 Book One                                         Book Two 


Book Three                                        Book Four

Book Five                                            Book Six

Book Seven

Pre-order your copy today

Releases 
Tuesday June 7!

Book Eight

Pre-order your copy today

Releases
Tuesday May 16, 2017


Is there a cozy town you'd like to see featured in 
The Cozy Times? 
Please let me know in the comments section.

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

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.

Sunday, June 5, 2016


Are you a seasonal reader?
Fall cozies in the fall, winter in the winter.
Halloween, Christmas, and Fourth of July only during their respective seasons?

Well, I have a summer book for you! 

 MURDER BY FIREWORKS
Book 3 in the Kay Driscoll Mysteries
by Susan Bernhardt


Wedding bells are in the air, and so is murder. 

Kay Driscoll's son's wedding reception for two hundred guests is in her backyard. As if that wasn't enough, a precocious and troubled twelve-year-old is foisted on her two days before the wedding. When the happy day arrives, one of the guests disrupts the event and is asked to leave: a womanizing member of Kay's book club. 

A few days later, after a Fourth of July fireworks show, he is found dead on the beach. Kay and her ever-present friends, Elizabeth and Deirdre, investigate the death, which at first is declared a suicide. They believe this is a cover-up and go about to prove their theory, an arduous task because the potential suspects are many, and few (if any) will regret the victim's death.

What? 
Yes, I said Book 3 in the series. 

While I normally recommend a series be read in order, 
MURDER BY FIREWORKS can be read as a stand alone. 
All three books in the Kay Driscoll series can be.


MY REVIEW


Book three in the Kay Driscoll Mysteries, MURDER BY FIREWORKS, is the best so far in this series by author Susan Berhardt!

A wonderful book, the plot of this story was flawlessly thought out by author Bernhardt. She has created a tale of mystery, intrigue, and humor, with twists and turns to keep the reader guessing til the end.

One of my favorite parts of cozy mysteries is of course the characters...and I do enjoy the characters is this series very much. But the other thing I really love about cozies are the many different careers the characters have. In the Kay Driscoll series, Sweet Marissa's Patisserie is THE place where the characters meet. I can't blame them. With all of the magnificent treats served, I'd be there all the time! Honestly, Sweet Marissa's Patisserie itself is like another character in the story.

All of the Kay Driscoll books can be read as standalone's, so don't let the seasonal covers fool you.

I'm very much looking forward to Susan Bernhardt's next installment to this five star series!


What  other readers are saying about MURDER BY FIREWORKS (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 3) that takes place during the summer months. - http://amzn.to/1MBKRd4
5 STARS - “This is a great beach read. I can see hip small town America when I read this series.”
5 STARS - “The characters are lovingly created and you feel right at home with them and their daily life. The murder is interwoven in the daily activities and worries of the protagonist and keeps the reader involved and curious. I can’t wait for the fourth book to be written.”
5 STARS – “Bernhardt unleashes her full creative power during a kayaking adventure Kay, Deirdre (one of Kay's loyal friends) and two others go on. Readers who are ambivalent about kayaking will have their concerns validated and will vow never to go on such an expedition in the future. The rushing of the water turning over Kay's kayak, the breath by breath account of Kay's ordeal are depicted with such realism, we feel we're drowning in one if those rapids. Like Kay, we beg to get out there alive.”
5 STARS - “I love the way Ms. Bernhardt spins her tale through detailed description of events that occurred in the story, placing the reader right in the scene. This book is a must-read and is a great addition to the other two mysteries.”
5 STARS - "The perfect summer read."
The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 1) - Reduced $3.95http://amzn.to/1oPTsiw 

Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2) - Reduced $3.95http://amzn.to/1tC5krR 

Murder by Fireworks (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 3) - Newest release.http://amzn.to/1MBKRd4 

About the author


Susan's town in northern Wisconsin was an inspiration for the quaint setting of her novels. Like Kay Driscoll in her cozy mysteries, The Ginseng Conspiracy and Murder Under the Tree, Susan is a retired nurse who volunteers at her local free clinic. She lives with her husband, William, and has two sons, Peter and David.

An avid reader of mysteries, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inc. and the Wisconsin Writers Association. Her published works include: The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 1), Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2), "October 31st", "Midsummer", and "John and Madeline."

When not writing, Susan loves to travel, bicycle, kayak, and create culinary magic in her kitchen. She works in stained-glass, daydreams in her organic garden, stays up late reading mysteries, and eats lots of chocolate.


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

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.

Friday, June 3, 2016


June 1, 2016 
my beloved brother 
Larry Maxwell Kelley 
passed from our world to go home 
to our Heavenly Father. 

I will miss Larry every day of my life 
but I am happy for him that he 
has been reunited with 
our dear parents and loving grandmother.

Please excuse me as I take some time from my blog to remember Larry and give myself some time to think straight again. 
You all bring me so much joy, I won't be away any longer then I need to be.

Thank you my friends. 
Love, Lisa  



Wednesday, June 1, 2016


Lisa Ks Book Reviews blog is proud to bring to you
THE COZY TIMES

This is a weekly online publication focused on connecting cozy mystery readers to favorite cozy characters by way of their town's newspapers. 

The Cozy Times will be available Wednesdays right here on Lisa Ks blog. 
There will also be weekend editions, and special editions from time to time. So keep watch. 

Today The Cozy Times is featuring the 
THE LINCOLNITE

There has been a lot going on in 
Lincoln Point, California!   

Check it out!


SADIE'S ICE CREAM SHOP EXPANDS MENU, 
CAUSING UPROAR 

Picketers lined Springfield Boulevard on Monday, protesting the newly offered lunch menu at Sadie's Ice Cream Shop. "NOT FAIR TO WILLIE" read the signs, referring to Willie's Bagels, only 2 doors down from Sadie's and a popular lunch spot for many years.

"People don't want to have to get up and trudge outside between lunch and dessert," a spokesperson for Sadie's said. Regular customer Mabel Foster said, "It's hard when it's raining," while her companion, who wished to remain anonymous, asked "When is it ever raining?" The two businesses have agreed to arbitration, which will be facilitated by retired English teacher, Geraldine Porter.


*****
LOCAL DOGS HONORED

A monument unveiled at a ceremony this week at Lincoln Point Park, Civic Center, honored the K-9s that serve alongside the city's police officers. Civilian volunteer, Bev Gowen, arranged the privately funded dedication. 


"In the coming year we plan to honor the human officers in the unit," said Gowen, the mother of Detective Eino "Skip" Gowen. The younger Gowen was unavailable for comment.

*****
SPORTS
The Mary Todd Gym has issued swag bags to all lifetime members. Featured is a red logo travel mug with I'D RATHER BE READING in white letters.
*****
SCIENCE FAIR

Local middle school children showed off their projects this week at the annual Science Fair.

Heading the judges panel was a visiting physicist from the Boston area, Dr. Gloria Lamerino, who is responsible for the nationally recognized Cannoli Method of awarding prizes. "I've never seen so many 5-Cannoli projects," Lamerino said. First prize, a 1-inch mini Austrian crystal cannoli went to Maddie Porter, 12, for her working model of a waste water recycling plant.

*****
POLICE BLOTTER

After a string of more than a dozen murders in the last 8 years, the Lincoln Point Police Department is pleased to announce that the only crime committed so far this year is the theft of a small fountain from a lawn on Gettysburg Avenue. 

The thief left a note reminding the homeowner that it was drought season in California and that he should stop being "a water waster." The homeowner has decided not to pursue the matter.

*****
COOKING WITH CAMILLE

Abraham Lincoln High School home economics teacher CHEF CAMILLE offers a special recipe for Father's Day: an Honest Abe top hat cake. 


DIRECTIONS: Start with your favorite basic cake—white, yellow, or chocolate—and bake THREE 8-inch rounds. Split the rounds, giving you six layers. Mix black food coloring into enough frosting to spread between layers and around the top and circumference of the cake. Use the last of it to spread around the edge of the cake plate, to make the brim of the hat. 

Add a BEST FATHER figure as pictured, and let the celebration begin!

*****

REMINDER

It's not too soon to begin preparing for the annual costume parade in July. 

We're hoping to have fewer Honest Abes this year, and more recognition for Hannibal Hamlin, Lincoln's Vice President.


Lincoln Point sounds 
like quite the little town!
~~~~~~
That's this week's edition of 
The Cozy Times 
I hope you enjoyed!

To learn more about the small California town of Lincoln Point and the many social and cultural opportunities, read The Miniature Mysteries by local author Margaret Grace. The newest titles are MANHATTAN IN MINIATURE (April 2015) and soon-to-be released MATRIMONY IN MINIATURE (September 2016)

Book 8

Perhaps Manhattan, like Christmas, is best seen through the eyes of a child. Gerry Porter provides both magical experiences for granddaughter Maddie when a SuperKrafts manager takes them to New York City for a huge crafts fair. They get to work on both making miniatures and solving crimes, the detecting duo’s favorite pastimes. All this, plus Rockefeller Center and Radio City, too! But a crafty murderer wants to make sure they don’t make it safely home again to California….

Book 9

When murder happens in the small town of Lincoln Point CA, there aren’t many degrees of separation between the victim and retired teacher Gerry Porter. How can she stay away from the investigation when the crime scene is the venue for her marriage to Henry Baker? But this time, nephew Detective Skip Gowen tries to discourage Gerry’s and granddaughter Maddie’s efforts to solve “The Case.” He couldn’t live with himself if the murderer learns of their efforts and comes after them....

Available now for pre-order
Release date
September 9, 2016

Book 1                                          Book 2

Book 3                                       Book 4

Book 5                                        Book 6

Book 7

About the author


Camille Minichin0 aka Margaret Grace received her Ph.D. in physics from Fordham University, New York City. She is currently on the faculty of Golden Gate University, San Francisco and teaches writing throughout the Bay Area. Camille is Past President and a member of NorCal Mystery Writers of America, NorCal Sisters in Crime, and the California Writers Club.
Camille has published over 20 novels and many short stories and nonfiction articles.
As Camille Minichino, she's published Periodic Table Mysteries, featuring retired physicist GLORIA LAMERINO
As Margaret Grace, she writes the Miniature Mysteries, featuring miniaturist GERALDINE PORTER and her 11-year-old granddaughter, Maddie. The 8th in the series, MANHATTAN IN MINIATURE was released in April 2015.
As Ada Madison, she's published the Professor Sophie Knowles Mysteries, featuring college professor SOPHIE KNOWLES.
As Jean Flowers, Camille has launched a new series, The Postmistress Mysteries. The first, DEATH TAKES PRIORITY, debuted in 2015. The second, CANCELLED BY MURDER, is due in September 2016.

A stand-alone, KILLER IN THE CLOISTER, is available on Kindle and CreateSpace.
The nonfiction book, HOW TO LIVE WITH AN ENGINEER, is available on Kindle and Createspace. 

Is there a cozy town you'd like to see featured in 
The Cozy Times? 
Please let me know in the comments section.


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

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.