Coming Attractions: Welcome 2016 Edition

Dec 26, 2015 | 2015 Articles, Coming Attractions!, Mysteryrat's Maze, Sunny Frazier

by Sunny Frazier

Details on how to win a copy of a book from a past Coming Attractions column-Trimmed With Murder by Sally Goldenbaum.

Start the New Year off with some mouth-watering mysteries, a few ghosts, and a curse or two!

bookIt’s the early 1900s and twenty-four-year-old heiress Charlotte Demerayes lives in the Fanaman mansion with a few ghosts and the mother from hell. This gothic mystery takes a turn when our protagonist sails to Europe and discovers the truth about herself, her heritage, and information her mother has hidden from her all her life. Fanaman Curse is the début novel for A. H. Scott.

What better place to hold a murder mystery party than a real haunted castle? Zoe Donovan-Zimmerman and husband Zak are there to enjoy the fake murder until one of the party goers actually turns up dead. Zoe shifts into sleuth mode to track down a killer in the 19th Zoe Donovan Mystery, Shamrock Shenanigans by Kathi Daley.

bookIt’s not easy keeping a ghost and demon under wraps, but medium M.J. Holliday has a magic dagger for that. When the blade inadvertently gets donated for an exhibit of supernatural artifacts at a Boston museum, Oruç the ghost and his pet demon escape from the lower realms. Before she can recover the bewitched dagger, there’s a murder and a heist where the artifact is stolen. Now the ghoul is coming for M.J., bringing with him some ghosts from her past. Author Victoria Laurie sends shivers with her 10th Ghost Hunter Mystery, A Ghoul’s Guide To Murder.

bookIt’s A Wee Dose of Death for ScotShop owner Peggy Winn. Her shop in Hamelin, Vermont, is doing great, but she has her hands full with a 14th-century Scottish hothead named Dirk. When a college professor’s body is found in a deserted mountain cabin and Peggy’s friend is shot, Peggy and Dirk need to put their differences aside to get the killer under “loch” and key. This is the 2nd in the ScotShop mysteries by Fran Stewart.

Fire chief Stella Griffin is in charge of judging this year’s recipe contest in the town of Sweet Pepper, located in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The problem is, resident ghost Eric is the food expert and she can’t find him. Before she can track down his latest haunt, a moonshine still is set on fire. Is a whiskey war being revived? Stella turns to the oldtimers in town for clues as to what has sparked the latest feud. Sweet Pepper Hero is the 4th outing for the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade by J.J. Cook.

bookFood truck owner Darcy Burnett and her Aunt Abby escape the crazy pace of San Francisco with a trip to the apple festival in Apple Valley, California. While auntie is promoting her almond apple tarts, Darcy wants to collect more recipes for her food truck cookbook. But, while staying at the Enchanted Apple Inn, a guest is killed and the owner is the prime suspect. It’s up to Darcy to get to the core of the problem in Death of a Bad Apple, the third Food Festival mystery by Penny Pike.

In a previous White House Chef mystery by Julie Hyzy, chef Ollie Paras helped put a terrorist behind bars. Now the criminal’s brother is out for revenge. When Ollie gets mugged on her way home from her job cooking for the president, the Secret Service stays by her side. But it’s a White House staff member who’s murdered instead. Ollie may need a bulletproof vest instead of an apron when she becomes part of the strategy to bring just desserts to the terrorist in Foreign Eclairs, the 9th and final in the culinary series.

bookReady for another Piece of Cake mystery? Jacklyn Brady offers up #6, The Cakes of Monte Cristo. Rita Lucero, co-owner of Zydeco Cakes in New Orleans, is catering an annual ball held at the Monte Cristo Hotel. She finds a long-buried ruby necklace under the shop’s staircase. Rumor of a curse seems to be true when the gem appraiser drops dead. Now Rita is the target of a menacing stranger.

It’s One Foot in the Grove for Eva Knox in a debut mystery by Kelly Lane. Eighteen years ago she left her beau at the altar in Abundance, Georgia, and headed north. Now she’s bailed on another groom and come back home to the family’s olive plantation. But people in this southern town are long on memory and short on forgiveness. When a corpse is found in the olive grove, Eva is at the top of the suspect list. And guess which sheriff is investigating the case? None other than her former fiancé!

bookStar City, Utah, is known for its ski slopes and interesting shops. Chester Henry and his granddaughter Clare run The Rescued Word, which repairs old typewriters and restores old books. One of those typewriters is of interest to a stranger, who demands to have it. Clare scares him off but later finds his body in a back alley. What is it about this Underwood typewriter worth killing for? To Helvetica and Back is the first in A Dangerous Type Mystery series by Paige Shelton.

Half the fun of Guy Fawkes Day in London is tossing straw effigies into bonfires. American Scarlett Parker is experiencing her first celebration with her cousin Vivian. They own a hat shop called Mim’s Whims. When a friend invites them to a posh party, they attend, wearing two of their creations to promote their wares. But one guest is more interested in murder. The victim is the rival of the friend who invited them to the party, and now he’s the prime suspect. It’s up to Scarlett and Vivian to find the real killer before their friend’s life goes up in flames. Copy Cat Murder is Jenn McKinlay’s 4th in her Hat Shop mystery series.

bookDetectives come in all shapes and sizes. Plus-sized P.I. Savannah Reid and the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency are excited when their friends announce they are opening a chic new restaurant. The owners have hired a talented, if temperamental, chef. When the chef is killed, it’s up to Savannah and the agency to find out who removed him from the menu. Killer Gourmet is #20 in G.A. McKevett’s Savannah Reid series (this is a paperback release of a 2015 hardback book).

Someone has declared open season on land developers in Sorenson, Wisconsin. One real estate developer is found dead in the woods with an arrow through his neck. It’s up to Deputy Coroner Mattie Winston to get to the bottom of the slaughter. She’s also hunting for the teenage daughter of a detective who has disappeared and must find the girl before she becomes a victim. Stiff Competition is the 6th in the Mattie Winston mystery series by Annelise Ryan.

To enter to win a copy of Trimmed With Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “2016″ or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen after January 2, 2016. U.S. residents only.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section. Check back every month for Coming Attractions!

Click on this link to purchase any of these books. Keep in mind that this link just takes you to Amazon where you can look up these books & purchase them:

Sunny Frazier worked with an undercover narcotics team in Fresno County for 17 years before turning her energies to writing the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries. Based in the San Joaquin Valley of California, the novels are inspired by real cases and 35 years of casting horoscopes.

30 Comments

  1. Oh Sunny…all of these cozies sound sooo good! Thank you for the intro to them. I can’t get enough of Paige Shelton…very happy that she’s started a new series!
    Sandy in So. Cali
    sxygrndma48{at}yahoo{dot}com

    Reply
    • Here’s even more good news, Sandy: Paige Shelton has another new series debuting in March! It’s “The Cracked Spine,” A Scottish Bookshop Mystery!

      Reply
  2. These books sound wonderful, and I will be adding them to my list. Thank you for the giveaway.
    myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
    • Jeanetta, are you on Face Book? Why not friend me so I can notify you when give-aways are available?

      Reply
  3. Thank you for the chance to win this book.

    Reply
  4. All sound awesome! I am waiting impatiently for Kathi Daley’s next book! Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
    • I will try to keep you posted!

      Reply
  5. All the books are great reads, and I get excited to add more to my 2016 reading list.

    Reply
  6. Sounds great!! So many good books.

    Reply
  7. New books for my TBR. They are all new to me except JJCook. Never had the pleasure of reading any of them. Would very much like to start with Trimmed for Murder. Since learning about Chatting about Cozies 6 months ago I have learned of you and 2 others and so many new authors. I have been in 7th heaven. An avid reader, but had some dry spells when I couldn’t make it to the library. Your intro to the many books is so deeply appreciated. Thank you. And thank you for this opportunity to win one

    Reply
    • Della, you make writing my column so worth it! I hope you win books and continue to be introduced to and support authors.

      Reply
  8. Sunny, thanks for the mentioned. I love reading this column…I know I should call it a post, but I gain so much information on mew reads, this I appreciate. Looking forward to picking these up.

    Reply
  9. This was a great post, Sunny. Thanks for introducing us to all these wonderful books.

    Reply
    • I’m so glad you enjoy my column!

      Reply
  10. It’s almost evil to keep enticing all of us with such a variety of great books!! THANKS!

    Reply
    • Valerie, why don’t you Face Book friend me? That way I can notify you when more give-aways come out.

      Reply
  11. Thanks Sunny! There are so many books that look awesome! I just love G. A. McKevett. Although, all of these books look great! I’ looking forward to reading all of them!!

    Reply
    • Good news for you then: G.A. McKevett has a new one coming out in March! Look forward to Killer Reunion.

      Reply
  12. They all sound terrific! Thankyou for the opportunity! Jill; minishoes@msn.com

    Reply
  13. These sound so good can’t wait to find them in my library or at amazon. Thanks for chance to win..

    Reply
    • Winning books certainly helps! Like you, I use the library extensively, especially for a new series I might not like!

      Reply
  14. What a wonderful blessing it would be to read these books. Thank you for the chance. They all look so good and I know I won’t be able to put them down once I start reading them .

    Deana
    Jhdwayne(at)peoplepc(dot)com

    Reply
    • I will make sure to let you know the day my column comes out.

      Reply
  15. I love all these wonderful covers they draw you to the Book and what a lineup….thank you for the contest. Happy New Year!
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

    Reply
    • Happy New Year to you too, Marilyn! And happy reading!

      Reply
  16. Lots of favorites ro look forward to as well as some fun new series. My tbr list is getting longer and longer. Sad to hear Foreign Eclairs will be Ollie’s last adventure.
    Scouts579 (at) aol (dot) com

    Reply
  17. So many books, so little time. We are rich in reading material.

    Reply
  18. Thanks for all the new reading ideas and chance to win Trimmed.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  19. We have a winner!

    Reply

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