by Becky Sue Epstein & Lena Gregory

This week we have a review of the latest Coffee & Cream Cafe Mystery by Lena Gregory, along with a fun guest post and cookie recipe from Lena! Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Buried on a Sundae: A Coffee & Cream Café Mystery by Lena Gregory
Review by Becky Sue Epstein

When we last saw Danika Delany, she was…oh, maybe you haven’t read any other books in this scrumptious, ice cream sundae-based series? If so, I won’t spoil it for you. (While part of a series, this book can be read on its own.) Author Lena Gregory has once again plunged us (the readers) into a plot that is as fun as it is risky, with her heroine Dani surrounded by quirky characters that alternately rein her in and enable her wild plans to uncover a murderer. Or murderers. Because there may be more than one killer flaunting their stuff at Long Island’s beaches and dance clubs this summer.

Not too long ago, Dani left her job in Manhattan and returned to take up the family business––actually, her Uncle Jimmie’s ice cream business––which she has converted into a coffee and ice cream café. So far, it’s working. But it is a lot of hard work. In addition to serving tourists and locals all day, and making her own ice cream, Dani has to find out who murdered the wife of the local crime boss before her friend Jake is accused of murder. It’s not easy to accomplish this and keep herself and her quirky cohort from serious peril.

All this is going on while Dani is vacillating between her high school boyfriend, now a hot firefighter, and the equally smoldering local detective, who has become a new love interest. It’s only fair to let you know that in this book, Dani does make a decision about which course to pursue. But is it really a final decision?

While traveling the world and writing about wine and spirits, Becky Sue Epstein reads cozy mysteries to relax. One day it occurred to her that she could combine the two pursuits. She recently began to write wine-themed cozy mysteries. Hopefully, her agent will love them.

Fall Traditions
By Lena Gregory

It’s hard to believe summer has come and gone so quickly. It seems like only yesterday I was shopping for sunscreen and beach chairs. Now the stores are filled with hay bales, scarecrows, and pumpkins. Before we know it, the holidays will be upon us. As much as I love the Christmas season, I have to admit, my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Actually, I love everything about fall.

I lived most of my life on Long Island, until I moved to Florida five years ago. I don’t miss much about New York, but I do miss fall, when the leaves change colors, and the air feels crisp and clean.

Every year my kids and I drove out east on the north shore of Long Island to visit farm stands. We’d pick pumpkins and apples, work our way through corn mazes, and stuff ourselves with roasted sweet corn and apple cider.

Every fall, my daughter and my middle son volunteered for the local Spooky Walk, an annual event which raises money for a camp for children with special needs. They’d dress up in ghoulish costumes and scare the daylights out of everyone walking through a dark path in the woods. My youngest son was too young to participate—although we did try to get him to dress up as Chuckie—so he and I would make a special dessert for when everyone got home. It really made me proud that they chipped in to help others, and they had a great time doing it.

So, what is your favorite season? Do you have any fun seasonal traditions? In honor of fall, I thought I’d share a recipe for one of our favorite deserts!

Rainbow Cookies

INGREDIENTS

4 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup flour
3 Tsp. almond extract
3 Tbsp. Amaretto
2 Sticks melted margarine
Food coloring: Red, yellow, green
1 Bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar Apricot or Raspberry jam or jelly (whichever you prefer)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat eggs and sugar together. Add flour and stir. Add Amaretto, almond extract, and melted margarine. Beat well. Separate into three bowls (an even amount of batter in each bowl). Add one color food coloring to each bowl (until batter is desired color).
Spray three 9 X 11 disposable baking pans with non-stick spray. Pour one color batter into each pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350 for 14––15 minutes (cooks quickly, so watch closely and remove if browning). Remove and let cool.
Melt chocolate chips.
Once cool, spread apricot or raspberry jelly over one colored sheet. Put next sheet on top of it. Spread a layer of jelly over that sheet. Put next sheet on top. Cover top layer with the melted chocolate chips – spread thin.
Cut into small rectangles and enjoy!

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Buried on a Sundae, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “sundae” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 21, 2024. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.