MURDER IN THE SECRET GARDEN by Ellery Adams

CLOCK AND DAGGER by Julianne Holmes

MURDER IN THE SECRET GARDEN

Book 3 in the Book Retreat Mysteries

by Ellery Adams

Things really go to seed in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling Book Retreat mysteries...
 
There is a hidden garden bordering the grounds of Jane Steward’s book-themed resort—a garden filled with beautiful but deadly plants such as mandrake and nightshade. Tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and accessible only through a single locked door, as described in the pages of Frances Hodges Burnett's classic novel, the garden is of special interest to Jane’s current group of guests, The Medieval Herbalists. But when one of them turns up dead, Jane must discover whether a member of the group has come to Storyton Hall to celebrate their passion for plant lore or to implement a particularly cruel means for murder.
 
With thousands of books at her disposal, Jane believes she has the proper materials to solve this deadly problem. If she’s wrong, however, she may lose something far more precious than the contents of Storyton’s secret library...

MY REVIEW

This truly unique series just keeps getting better!

When I read the first book in the Book Retreat Mysteries, MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE, I just knew this was going to be an amazing series. It feels so good to be right! ;-)

MUDER IN THE SECRET GARDEN, as with the first two book in the series, is a blend of old fashioned mystery, spy thriller, and cozy all magnificently rolled into one. It’s both gripping, and fun. Author Ellery Adams seems to have channeled not only many prolific authors, but several of literatures greatest mystery characters to create an unforgettably remarkable series.

The main plot in MURDER IN THE SECRET GARDEN, is extremely well thought out, and left me second guessing myself most of the way through. From page one, to the discovery of the body, to the shocking reveal and ending, I was enthralled with every word I read. I was quite breathless by the end of the book. As with books one and two, there is an underlying, menacing feeling. Something we will see in a future installment perhaps?

Aside from being a wonderful read, this series would make for outstanding movies and/or TV.

Make sure to check out the back of the book for a sneak peek of KILLER CHARACTERS, the newest book in the Books By The Bay mysteries!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

CLOCK AND DAGGER

Book 2 in the Clock Shop Mysteries

by Julianne Holmes

Expert clockmaker Ruth Clagan has another murder on her hands in the second Clock Shop Mystery from the author of Just Killing Time.

Ruth has three days to pull off four events—including the grand reopening of Cog & Sprocket, the clock shop she inherited from her grandfather—so she doesn’t have time for Beckett Green’s nonsense. The competitive owner of a new bookstore, Green seems determined to put other businesses out of business by also carrying their specialty items. He’s trying to steal Ruth’s new watchmaker, Mark Pine, not to mention block her plans to renovate the town clock tower.
 
Ruth is already all wound up when she’s alarmed to discover Mark’s dead body. As the denizens of Orchard each chime in as to who they think the murderer is, Ruth needs to watch her back as she investigates on her own. Despite the danger, Ruth won’t stop until the killer is behind bars and serving time...

MY REVIEW

I’ve waited a long time to read CLOCK AND DAGGER . . . It was worth the wait!

Author Julianne Holmes has penned another amazing story with CLOCK AND DAGGER. Her attention to detail, and her very clear affection with this series, shines through with every word.

Hooked half way into chapter one, my time spent reading this second book in the Clock Shop Mysteries was indeed time well spent. Page after page of CLOCK AND DAGGER I became more immersed into this wonderful story. Between the subject matter of clocks, which fascinated more than I would have thought, and the marvelous writing, I found it practically impossible to put this book down.

Well done, Ms. Holmes! I’m already anxiously awaiting your next installment!

Both of these wonderful titles are 

available for pre-order.

Both titles release

August 2!

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

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BOOK TOUR

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

Daryl Wood Gerber

and her new book

GRILLING THE SUBJECT

Book 5 in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries

Things heat up for bookstore owner Jenna Hart in the latest Cookbook Nook mystery from the Agatha Award-winning author of Fudging the Books.
 
As the Wild West Extravaganza rides into Crystal Cove, California, Cookbook Nook store owner Jenna Hart is ready to indulge her appetite for grilled and barbecued treats and maybe even try the Texas skip. But when the body of one of her father’s neighbors is found the next morning smoldering in a bonfire, the rodeo revelry is extinguished. 
 
Sylvia Gump had acquired plenty of enemies with her practice of illegally encroaching on her neighbors’ properties—including Jenna’s dad, who was off fishing by himself and has no alibi for the murder. Now it’s up to Cary Hart’s dutiful daughter to clear his name before the real killer turns up the heat and rakes someone else over the coals...

INCLUDES RECIPES

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

Winner will be chosen after August 3

at the end of the tour

Check out the great prize and 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

An Interview With Author

Daryl Wood Gerber

LKBR:  Thank you for being here today!

DWG: I’m thrilled to be here.

LKBR: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

DWG: When I was nine, and then again at twelve, but I had a teacher who told me to put that dream on hold. Bad teacher.

LKBR: What was your inspiration for the Cookbook Nook Mystery series?

DWG: I was in a cookbook store in Occaquan, Virginia to promote my Cheese Shop Msytery series (that I write as Avery Aames) and I fell in love with the shop. It was so fabulous, packed with cookbooks, fiction related to food, and darling kitchen items. So much fun.

LKBR: Do you ever get writer’s block? If you do, how do you work through it?

DWG: I put my rear in the chair and write “something.” A poem, a letter. I do research. I rewrite something that needs rewriting. Anything to make me “work” even if my brain is in the off mode.

LKBR: Do you have a favorite place to do your writing?

DWG: I write everywhere, in my kitchen, my office, outside, at Starbuck’s. I just have the hours when I should be writing and so I do it, wherever I might be.

LKBR: What is your writing schedule like? Do you write a certain number of hours a day, or go by word count?

DWG: I write hours because the word count just not might add up on certain days. I start around 8:30 to 9 in the morning (after breakfast, exercise, and walking my dog Sparky). I work until noon. I take a break, read, research, eat. Then I do a bit of PR or social media. And then I get back to work around 2 or 3 until about 5 or 6. Then I walk Sparky again.  J

LKBR: What is the hardest part of writing? What is the easiest part?

DWG: Hardest is coming up with a really “hot” idea. I wrangle with that all the time. Is this the story to write? Will anybody like it? And the muddy middle. When writing, the beginning and end seem “easy.” But that middle, where all the clues and pacing reside? Tough!  I love writing dialogue. That comes easily to me because I was an actress and I “hear” voices.

LKBR: Do you have plans for a new series?

DWG: I do, but it’s a secret. I also have a few stand-alones I intend to publish.

LKBR: What book are you reading?

DWG: Krista Davis’s THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA and a few research books.  (Secret).

LKBR: What are three things you want your readers to know about you?

DWG: I love telling a good story. I do my best to write the most entertaining story I can. I wish I could encourage beginning writers to keep at it – take classes, believe in yourself, don’t give up!

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

DWG: It is always a pleasure to be here. I love blogs that invite not only fans but other authors to tune in!

MY REVIEW

Be prepared to get your mystery senses fired up over this delicious read!

Ever since read book one, FINAL SENTENCE, the Cookbook Nook Mysteries have been one of my very favorites.

Getting back to Crystal Cover is like going back to visit old friends. The characters in this series are so richly written, it’s hard to believe they’re fictional! The family, and the friend dynamics are something we all should be graced with in our lives.

GRILLING THE SUBJECT is another fabulous installment of this great series. A fun, fast, intriguing read. I read this is one setting, breaking only for food and drink. (These books make me hungry!) Filled with twists, turns, and all around “Whats?”, I didn’t even come close to guessing whodunit.

Author Daryl Wood Gerber certainly knows what it takes to give readers the best time they can have. She sure has a real fan in me!

Don’t forget to check out the back of the book for some great recipes!

The fun isn't over. 

Daryl has shared a yummy recipe with us!

 “Barbecue” Quiche

Ingredients

 1 unbaked pastry shell (8 inches)

 1 teaspoons chili powder

 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 4 eggs, lightly beaten

 1 cup half-and-half cream

 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese    

 1 cup chopped zucchini

 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon pepper

 Salsa and sour cream, if desired

Preheat oven to 400°

Line un-pricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer.

Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over shell; sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, Monterey Jack cheese, zucchini, onions, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over cheddar cheese in the pie shell.

Cover edges of quiche loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Set in oven.

Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Yum!

How many of you are ready to try this?

More about Daryl

Bio:

Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author DARYL WOOD GERBER ventures into the world of suspense with her gripping debut novel, GIRL ON THE RUN. Daryl also writes the bestselling Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she pens the bestselling Cheese Shop Mysteries. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote”. In addition, she has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and hitchhiked around Ireland by herself. She absolutely adores Lake Tahoe, where GIRL ON THE RUN is set, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky. Visit Daryl at www.darylwoodgerber.com.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

Twitter: @darylwoodgerber

Website: www.darylwoodgerber.com

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bonus 

!!!Giveaway!!!

Enter for a chance to win 

any one (1) title from Daryl Wood Gerber's Cookbook Nook series.

Winner's choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by 

clicking on the link in the 

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Hello all. 

I'm working hard to catch up on some work. 

The blog will be back up and running

Wednesday 27. 

Thank you for you understanding!

Lisa

MALICE AT THE PALACE by Rhys Bowen

CROWNED AND DANGEROUS by Rhys Bowen

MALICE AT THE PALACE

Book 9 in the Royal Spyness Mysteries

by Rhys Bowen

Thirty-fifth in line for the British throne, Lady Georgiana Rannoch becomes embroiled in royal wrongdoing—from the New York Times bestselling author of Crowned and Dangerous.

Thirty-fifth in line for the British throne, Lady Georgiana Rannoch becomes embroiled in some royal wrongdoing...

Caught between my high birth and empty purse, I am relieved to receive a new assignment from the Queen. The King’s youngest son, George, is to wed Princess Marina of Greece, and I shall be her companion: showing her the best of London—and dispelling any rumors about George’s libertine history.

George is known for his many affairs with women as well as men—including the great songwriter Noel Coward. But things truly get complicated when one of his supposed mistresses is murdered.

The Queen wants the whole matter hushed. But as the case unfolds—and Darcy, as always, turns up in the most unlikely of places—our investigation brings us precariously close to the prince himself.

MY REVIEW

(Review and photo are from my 2015 review of hardcover)

While MALICE AT THE PALACE is the eighth book in this series, it is my second. All I can say is wow.

Author Rhys Bowen once again has written a delightful story from the view point of lead character Lady Georgiana Rannoch, thirty-fifth in line for the British throne. In this installment, Georgiana is enlisted to be companion to Princess Maria, soon to be wife of the King’s youngest son, George. Part of Georgiana’s duties are to dispel rumors of George’s questionable life style. Nut then, of course, she finds herself with a dead body to contend with as well.

I mention all of the above because Author Bowen has flawlessly interwoven her wonderful murder mystery with the true history of Prince George, the Duke of Kent. I honestly don’t know what I found more surprising…the unexpected reveal of this story or the things I learned about Prince George. Brava Rhys Bowen for masterfully teaching us a history lesson within your story. If my teachers had taught history the way you did in this book, I would have been a much better student.

On a side note, I would love to see the author write a companions book to the series of just Lady Georgiana’s dairy entries. I think it would a fascinating read. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

CROWNED AND DAGEROUS

Book 4 in the Royal Spyness Mysteries

by Rhys Bowen

Hardcover

Nothing is simple when you’re thirty-fifth in line for the British crown, least of all marriage. But with love on their side, and plans to elope, Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her beau Darcy O’Mara hope to bypass a few royal rules...

With Darcy driving me out of London in a borrowed motor car, I soon discover that he isn’t planning to introduce me to the pleasures of sinning in secret—as I had hoped—but to make me his wife! 

Of course, there are some quibbles to be dealt with, such as my needing special permission from the King to marry a Roman Catholic and the question of where we might live after the honeymoon. Though he will inherit a title, Darcy is as broke as I am. Even his family’s Irish castle has been sold to a rich American who now employes Darcy’s father as a hired hand. 

Throwing these cares to the wind, nothing could deter us from our mission—except perhaps the news that my future father-in-law has just been arrested. It seems the rich American was murdered and Darcy’s father had more than enough motive to do the deed. With the elopement postponed, we head for Ireland where he insists he’s innocent, and it’s up to us to prove it—for better or worse.

MY REVIEW

Always a majestic treat, the Royal Spyness Mysteries are the crown jewels of historical mysteries.

Author Rhys Bowen write hysterical fiction like no other author. Her details to these period pieces are spot on. When she does “change history” for the purpose of the stories, she’s always forth right about it on her Historical Notes page at the back of her books.

CROWNED AND DANGEROUS is a glowing gem in an already sparkling series. Rhys Bowen brings life to the 1930’s in such a way, readers will feel a part of the adventure.

This is my third book in the Royal Spyness mysteries so far, and it is the best of the three. As in the others I’ve read, protagonist, Lady Georgiana Rannoch is a delightful character. Once again I found myself caught up in her excitement and enthusiasm. She makes every book more memorable than the one before.

An excellent plot, combined with flawless writing, CROWNED AND DANGEROUS, indeed, the entire Royal Spyness series, is a cut above other historicals.

You don’t have to be a mystery fan to read this series. Readers of romance, history, and adventure genres will all enjoy reading the Royal Spyness Mysteries!

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.