It's

Cozy Food Friday!

That means it's time to share a recipe from 

another great cozy mystery!

This week's recipe is from

MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES

Book 3 in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries

by Karen Rose Smith

Daisy’s Tea Garden in Pennsylvania’s Amish country is known for its elegant  finger foods—but now owner Daisy Swanson has to finger a killer . . .
 
Restaurant critic Derek Schumaker, notorious for his bitter reviews, is about to visit Daisy’s Tea Garden, and Daisy and Aunt Iris are simmering with anxiety. A bad word from the culinary curmudgeon could really hurt their business, but Daisy tries to stay confident. After all, how can he resist her cucumber sandwiches with pimento spread—not to mention the cheesy cauliflower soup and strawberry walnut salad?
 
Schumaker takes a to-go order when the afternoon tea service is done, which Daisy hopes is a good sign. But when he perishes from a seizure, it looks like his food was dosed with something deadly. Considering a threat that recently appeared on his blog—and whispers of scandal in his past—Daisy has quite an assortment of suspects to sift through . . .
 
Includes delicious recipes!

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RUM RAISIN RICE PUDDING

photo property of m.mahatmarice.com

Ingredients

1½ cups cooked long-grain rice (I use Carolina's ~ Karen Rose Smith)

3 eggs

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon rum (or almond, if you prefer) flavoring (I use McCormick's ~ Karen Rose Smith)

¼ teaspoon salt

2½ cups milk, warmed, but not scalded

⅔ cup golden raisins (I use Sun-Maid ~ Karen Rose Smith)

¼ teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle on top

photo property of thecheatsheet.com

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Slightly beat eggs with mixer. Add sugar, flavorings, and salt until well mixed. Slowly stir in milk, one-half cup at a time. Stir in rice and raisins.

3. Pour mixture into a 1½-quart casserole. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon. Ready a pan with hot water. I use a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan. The casserole must fit into the pan comfortably. Hot water should be about an inch deep. Make for 65 minutes or until knife inserted into the middle come out clean.

Remove the casserole from water. Can be served warm or cold.

4. Refrigerate leftovers

photo property of chefant.com

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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

MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES

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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

"I can't believe how hr trashed that tea room," Foster Cranshaw said, studing Daisy Swanson's office. 

My 56

"Yet honesty is the best policy, right?"

"Sometimes I'm not sure about that. Sometimes little white lies go much farther with holding onto a friendship than complete honesty."

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 

upper right hand corner of this page. (on the side bar).

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COZY MYSTERY THEMES

So picking a theme for today wasn't hard at all.

Do you like holiday mysteries?

Check out these Fourth of July themed cozies!

MURDER SHE WROTE:

MURDER ON PARADE

by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

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A CATERED FOURTH OF JULY

by Isis Crawford

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INDEPENDENCE SLAY

by Shelley Freydont

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

MURDER BY FIREWORKS

by Susan Bernhardt

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DEAD, WHITE, AND BLUE

by Carolyn Hart

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STAR SPANGLED MURDER

by Leslie Meier

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Other Fourth of July great cozy mystery titles!

Do you have a favorite 

Fourth of July themed mystery?

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 

upper right hand corner of this page

(on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click "View web version".

Then follow the above directions.

BOOK TOUR

I'm so happy to be a stop on the blog tour for

DOWN IN FLAMES

Book 6 in the Webb's Glass Shop Mysteries

by Cheryl Hollon

A fatal hit-and-run in front of Savannah Webb's glass shop proves to be no accident . . .
 
A highlight of Savannah's new glass bead workshop is a technique called flame-working, which requires the careful wielding of acetylene torches. Understandably, safety is a top priority. But as Savannah is ensuring her students' safety inside, a hit-and-run driver strikes down a pedestrian outside her shop.
 
The victim is Nicole Borawski, the bartender/manager at the Queen's Head Pub, owned by Savannah's boyfriend Edward. It quickly becomes clear that this was no random act of vehicular manslaughter. Now the glass shop owner is all fired up to get a bead on the driver—before someone else meets a dead end . . .

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!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

3 lucky readers will win a print copy of

DOWN IN FLAMES

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

Winner will be chosen after July 3 at the end of the tour.

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

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A Chat with Cheryl Hollon

LKBR:  Thank you for being here today, Cheryl!

Cheryl: It’s great to be here! I always enjoy your questions.

LKBR: Please tell us a bit about you, and your book/series.

Cheryl:  My husband and I have been glass hobbyists for more than twenty-five years. When I decided to write a cozy mystery series, the two worlds came together in a flash. DOWN IN FLAMES is the sixth book in the Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery Series. Savannah Webb is the owner of a glass shop and she teaches a different type of glass art in each book. As a subject matter expert within the art community, she consults with the St. Petersburg Police Department when a crime is committed.

LKBR: Any hints or spoilers you can give us about your next book?

Cheryl: DOWN IN FLAMES is the sixth installment of the Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. I am switching gears a bit and will be releasing a new series in July 2020 which I am very excited about.

LKBR: Have you ever written a scene that you loved but had to remove it for the sake of the story?

Cheryl: Yes. I had to remove a subplot that just didn’t help the story in DOWN IN FLAMES. I used it as the premise for a short story. I save all deleted writing in a scraps file.

LKBR: Have you ever gotten reader’s block? Just find it hard to get into reading because you are so into your writing?

Cheryl: Absolutely! In fact, during the first draft of a new manuscript, I read very little fiction. I concentrate on books about the craft of writing. During the revision phases, I read widely.

LKBR: Is there anything you would give up if you thought it would make you an even better writer?

Cheryl: I would give up almost ANYTHING! Well, not family, of course, but I’ve practically given up TV and movies. I strive for a better book each time.

LKBR: Any new projects in the works?

Cheryl: The first book in my new Paint & Shine Mystery series, STILL KNIFE PAINTING, will release July 2020. It will introduce readers to Miranda Trent and her Paint & Shine business in rural Kentucky—where murder lurks amid the moonshine and scenic views…

LKBR: If you could ask your readers 3 questions, what would they be?

Cheryl: How do you find new authors? How do you decide to buy a new book – cover, first page, blurbs, reviews? What keeps you buying a series?

LKBR: Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

WEBSITE: http://cherylhollon.com/

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/cherylhollonwriter

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram/cherylhollonauthor

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/cherylhollon

LKBR: Thank you so much, Cheryl for letting us get to know you better!

Cheryl: Thank you for having me!

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MY REVIEW

With, DOWN IN FLAMES, author Cheryl Hollon has penned another wonderful tale in the Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. I never really doubted it would be great based on the first five installments.

Having started this series with the first book, it has been so fun and satisfying to watch the characters evolve. I have become really invested in them. I’m always happy to spend time with them, and a little sad when the book ends.

The mystery in, DOWN IN FLAMES, had me baffled. But after a certain something I read in the book (nope, I can’t tell you here), I had it all figured out! I mean, I thought I had it figured out. I was pretty sure of myself. But Cheryl Hollon didn’t make it as easy for me as I thought. I’m sure the dumbfounded look on my face would have been amusing to anyone who may have seen it.

The perfect addition to this series, DOWN IN FLAMES is a red hot read all mystery fans will enjoy!

About the Author

  Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. 

Visit her online at 

http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon. 

Purchase Links: Amazon   B&N   Kobo 

GOOD LUCK!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 24 – The Avid Reader - REVIEW, EXCERPT
June 24 – Baroness' Book Trove - SPOTLIGHT
June 25 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 25 – Readeropolis - CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 26 – Babs Book Bistro - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 26 – I'm All About Books – GUEST POST
June 26 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
June 27 – Author Teresa Watson – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 27 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 28 – Carla Loves To Read - REVIEW, EXCERPT
June 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
June 30 - Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 1 – The Book Diva's Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 1 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
July 2 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 2 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
July 3 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 3 – fundinmental - SPOTLIGHT

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 

upper right hand corner of this page (on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click"View web version". Then follow the above directions.

Tuesday is new release day!

These are some of the titles you'll find today.

It's all paws on deck as a librarian and her rescue cat track down a killer in the newest book in the national bestselling Bookmobile Cat mystery series.
 
Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, cruise around lovely Chilson, Michigan delivering happiness and good reads in their bookmobile. But the feisty librarian is worried that the bookmobile's future could be uncertain when a new library board chair arrives and doesn't seem too friendly to her pet project. 
 
Still, she has to put her personal worries aside when she and Eddie are out on their regular route and one of their favorite customers doesn't turn up to collect her books. Minnie, at Eddie's prodding, checks on the woman and finds her lying dead in her snow-covered driveway. Now it's up to Minnie and her friends--feline and otherwise--to find the perpetrator and give them their due.

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The national bestselling author of the Seaside Knitters mysteries returns to find the Crestwood Quilters on pins and needles when a killer strikes. . . 
 
As owners of the popular bistro The French Quarter, former New York City restauranteurs Picasso and Laurel St. Pierre are the toast of the town of Crestwood, Kansas. Chef Picasso’s culinary creations delight the women of the quilting club, who have embraced him as a friend. But Laurel’s anti-social behavior confuses Kate Simpson—until she spots Mrs. St. Pierre with another man in what appears to be a lover’s spat. 
 
Gossip travels fast in a small town like Crestwood, and rumor has it this isn’t Laurel’s first indiscretion. She also filed a police report accusing Picasso of domestic abuse. And when Laurel’s murdered body is found Picasso is the prime suspect. To prove their friend’s innocence, Kate and the Crestwood Quilters must uncover the secrets of Laurel’s past—a patchwork history wrapped up in Kate’s own teenage years . . .

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In the new Merry Muffin Mystery from the author of Muffin to Fear, baker Merry Wynter must confront a spiritual guru who may be up to something far from heavenly . . .

With plans for a new performing arts center at Wynter Castle taking up all her time, baker Merry Wynter has been all but unaware of the fringe group compound near her small town—until a street preacher accosts her with taunts of doom and damnation. Worried that some of her close friends may have been lured in by the group and its charismatic leader, Merry begins digging into the ministry—and soon suspects they may have ties to the recent death of a young woman and the disappearance of many others.

With her rebellious teen friend Lizzie at her side, Merry steps in to confront the eerily submissive community and its misguided members, skeptical of their supposed spiritual leanings. When another young woman vanishes and Merry realizes the lives of people close to her are at stake, she will stop at nothing to uncover the group’s sinister secrets before the murderous ministry can strike again . . .

Includes tasty baking recipes!

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From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a former CIA agent turned Girl Scout Troop leader, and a murder that will keep you guessing until the end!

Just as Merry Wrath’s former career as a CIA agent seems to be fading into a distant memory, the agent turned Girl Scout troop leader discovers that her beloved little suburban ranch house may not be what it seems. When a masked gunman breaks in to demand the return of "Nye," she fears that she may not have been the first spy to live there. What…or who is "Nye?"

And when Merry trips over the dead body of that same gunman later at the zoo, she realizes that her favorite king vulture and his mouthy scarlet macaw friend may be witnesses to a murder. Suddenly this becomes much more personal, and her list of suspects grows from a cosplaying teenaged demigod zookeeper, to a possible plot by the Russians... which may even include Merry's old arch-nemesis.

Things aren’t going well for her Girl Scout troop either, as a new addition causes trouble, and the girls begin to turn against each other—sparking way more than just preteen angst. From a dangerous close encounter with a mythical red wolf, to a jovial, geriatric group of Russian expats who brew their own mind-bending vodka, Merry Wrath worries that if she doesn’t find the killer soon, this case may be her last.

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Which one sounds good to you?

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 

upper right hand corner of this page (on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click"View web version". Then follow the above directions.

MURDER'S NO VOTIVE CONFIDENCE

Book 1 in the Nantucket Candle Maker Mysteries

by Christin Breecher

Nantucket candle store owner Stella Wright specializes in creating unique candles for every occasion. But someone sets the stage for murder when a Memorial Day celebration becomes a wedding to die for . . . 
 
Jessica Sterling’s candlelight-themed nuptials promises to be the perfect kick-off to the summer’s first official holiday weekend. Stella’s thrilled to have been chosen to provide the decorative centerpiece for the wedding ceremony: a two-foot-tall scented unity candle—a symbol of the happy couple’s love. But it looks like the bride-to-be’s uncle won’t be walking his niece down the aisle after he’s found dead. The murder weapon is Stella’s seemingly indestructible candle, now split in two. 
 
When a beloved local bartender is arrested, Stella’s sure a visiting police captain running the case made a rush to justice. With superstitious brides-to-be canceling orders and sales waxing and waning at her store, the Wick & Flame owner decides to do some sleuthing of her own. Abetted by a charming reporter and challenged by the town’s sexiest cop, Stella’s determined to shine a light on the truth and uncover a killer who’s snuffing out her own flame.

MY REVIEW

A new cozy mystery set in Nantucket and featuring a candle shop? Yes, please!

MURDER’S NO VOTIVE CONFIDENCE is a good start to a new series. It was easy to get into the flow of the story. However, I would have liked more time getting to know series lead, Stella Wright, and some of the other main characters in this series, as well as Stella’s store, WICK & FLAME, before getting into the murder.

With the above being said, the mystery element of the story was well plotted and surprising in the reveal. I also enjoyed author Christin Brecher’s crisp and clear style of writing.

If you’re looking to start a new cozy mystery series, I’d say give MURDER’S NO VOTIVE CONFIDENCE a try. It has some wonderful attributes that will have many readers burning the candle at both ends to finish.

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 

upper right hand corner of this page

(on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click "View web version".

Then follow the above directions.