This week we are once again playing catch up with some more fun mysteries for your summer reading-The Proof is in the Poison: A Southern Homebrew Mystery by Diane Kelly, The Shadow of Memory: A Kate Hamilton Mystery by Connie Berry, Murder She Wrote, Killer on the Court by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran, and Murder with Darjeeling Tea: A Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery by Karen Rose Smith.
Nelson Penzell is co-owner of the former This and That Shop, now renamed. His merchandise is high end while his partner deals in souvenirs for tourists. Or so Nelson says. He’s got a reputation as a womanizer, too. It’s no surprise when he’s found murdered. The shocker is Coreen, the manicurist at the beauty shop Jessica goes to, is the main and only suspect just because she was on the scene, covered in blood and holding the murder weapon.
The anthology kicks off with Why Judy Why written by Robert Lopresti. Judith finds herself sitting in a police interrogation room, being grilled by two detectives. She seems cooperative enough about what she’s done, but the detectives aren’t clear about one thing: motive. They keep asking, “Why, Judy, why?”, but even if she tells them, they’ll never understand.
This week we have a big group of food and drink mysteries for your Thanksgiving feast-The Chocolate Shark Shenanigans: A Chocoholic Mystery by JoAnna Carl, Apple Cider Slaying: A Cider Shop Mystery by Julie Anne Lindsey, Clarets of Fire: Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery by Christine E. Blum, Fatal Cajun Festival: A Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron, Jealousy Filled Donuts: A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton, and Mumbo Gumbo Murder: A Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran.
It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans. Carmela and Ava are ready to sell tons of merchandise in their shops (scrapbooking and voodoo) and dance the nights away as Fat Tuesday nears. Party time includes parades with the fabulous floats manned by the competitive krewes.
We end October with a fun group of new mysteries from Penguin authors, and most tie in to food and drink in some way-
Crepe Factor: A Scrapbooking Mystery By Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran, Seeds of Deception: An Orchard Mystery Series by Sheila Connolly, Tangled Up in Brew: Brewing Trouble Series by Joyce Tremel, and Killing Thyme: A Spice Shop Mystery by Leslie Budewitz.
Bridgy and Sassy own Read ‘Em and Eat, a small bookstore/restaurant with fabulous food, fun décor, and always, a good read close at hand. The book clubs meet regularly, including the Cool Reads/Warm Climate group made up mostly of snowbirds, the Northerners who head south for the winter.
Time for BBQs, sunscreen, and reading on the beach. Why not start a new series and take a mental vacation back in time and to foreign shores with these titles.
This week we have a perfect group of Penguin mysteries to end the Halloween month-Faux Paw: A Magical Cats Mystery by Sofie Kelly, Murder She Wrote: The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher by Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain and Renee Paley-Bain, Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran, and Just Killing Time by Julianne Holmes. Details at the end of this post on how to win copies of all 4 books, and a link to purchase them.
Sassy and Bridgy run Read ‘Em and Eat, a café/bookstore in Fort Meyers Beach, Florida--with the help of Miguel in the kitchen, of course. Each of the tables is named for a famous author with quotes, photos, and trivia on each one. There are several book clubs that meet there too, with Sassy acting as moderator. Fort Meyers is a small enough town that residents know each other and are always willing to pitch in and help. The tourists keep the economy going.
