24 October 2019

Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) by Lois Winston Blog Tour and Giveaway!


Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) by Lois Winston

 About Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide
 
Cozy Mystery 8th in Series
Independently Published
Print Length: 212 pages 
Digital ASIN: B07VG2QZXV
Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend (and possible spy) Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.
In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?
Christmas craft projects included.

About Lois Winston

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick-lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

Author Links 
  Website: www.loiswinston.com 
  Newsletter sign-up: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z1z1u5 
  Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog: www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com 
  Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/anasleuth 
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anasleuth
  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/722763.Lois_Winston 
  Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lois-winston 

   Purchase Links - Amazon - Kobo - iTunes - Nook 

 (5) E-COPY - Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) by Lois Winston
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23 October 2019

The Candy Caper by Josi S. Kilpack Book Review!



Publication Date: 10/1/19
Paperback
 ISBN: 9781629726014
Retail Price: $15.99
Page Count: 320
Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Culinary
BookDesign: © Shadow Mountain Art Direction: Richard Erickson Design: Kimberly Kay Author Photo: Busath Photography 

Synopsis
This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud. 
She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn't derail everyone's travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day. 
At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie's friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary's tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than $40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift. 
With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it's up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year. 
When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she's creating a "naughty" list that could rival Santa's. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary's tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.
About the Author: 
Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Myster/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah. 
Follow the author on Instagram @authorjosiskilpack 
Advance Praise/Endorsements: 
“A warmhearted mystery.” -Kirkus 
“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy's and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie's family recipes, sprinked throughout the book.” -Booklist 
“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous "Culinary Mystery" titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal 
My Review
The Candy Cane Caper by Josi S. Kilpack is a sweet clean mystery with protagonist Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham at the center of the book. Sadie and her husband Pete have been married for five years and have a combined family. Pete is a detective and Sadie is a retired schoolteacher, amateur detective, and chef.
Sadie's neighbor, Mary who is now in a home is in declining health and not expected to live much longer. She is determined to last one more Christmas in the hopes of repairing her relationship with her daughter Ivy. Her granddaughter Joy is around to help Mary out in whatever she needs including daily visits.
Sadie also visits regularly and because Mary is blind, she helps put up a tree for Mary. Mary has a lot of ornaments that are worth a long of money. She is worried that something could happen to the ornaments as Mary wishes to give them to Ivy. Sadie's worries are affirmed as some ornaments turn up missing. Now Sadie has to find out who stole the ornaments before Mary realizes that they are missing. Mary wants to give the ornaments to Ivy after Christmas. Pete is away so she is on her own.
Not only is she trying to find out who the thief is she has to get ready for the holidays, bake the Cunningham Candy Cane Cake and worry about the weather all within 24 hours. Family members are all coming from different states and bad weather is headed to Fort Collins.
What did I think, well I was pleased with Sadie and the dozen Christmas themed recipes in the book. I loved Sadie, strong determined woman and a wonderful friend to Mary. A few times later in the book, I was moved to tears. It is sad when someone is dying and the author wrote this part of the story with empathy but it was also lighthearted. This book is a sweet, clean mystery with great characters. I can't wait to make some of the recipes with the holidays coming they will be helpful.
If you are looking for a fun mystery, then pick up a copy of the book! I recommend it.
I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
www.shadowmountain.com 

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The Viking's Cursed Bride by Mairibeth MacMillan Book Release Date!



THE VIKING'S CURSED BRIDE
Series: The Brothers of Thunder Series, #1
Author: Mairibeth MacMillan
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Price: $4.99
Released: October 2019
ISBN: 9780463213919 Goodreads
Kindle US, Kindle UK
Kindle CA, Kindle AU
Smashwords
Apple, Kobo

 Half Briton, half Pict, Aoife has been an outsider all her life. Rejected by her family, despite
saving them from the Norse raid on Alt Clut, she is forced to marry one of the invaders to
ensure her family’s safety and rid them of a cursed daughter, while putting her own life at risk.
Jarl Tormod intends to settle on the Clyde and to marry a Briton. One as high-born as Aoife
ought to ensure the safety and prosperity of the Norse settlement. When their relationship
grows beyond convenience, loving one another may prove to be disastrous.

All Aoife wants is a place to belong, but when her family’s deception is revealed, a near-fatal
betrayal in Tormod’s past threatens to destroy all hope for a peaceful and prosperous future.

Mairibeth MacMillan lives on the shores of Loch Long on the edge of Argyll and Bute. 
While very picturesque, living there seems to involve endless driving and family life currently involves running a taxi service.
She was a drama teacher for many years until, during a career break, she  went for a Creative Writing degree through the Open University followed by a Masters degree in Playwriting andDramaturgy. Over the years she has had some success with
Short stories and flash fictions in various competitions, magazines and anthologies. In 2014 she was shortlisted for theNew Writer’s Award at the Festival of Romance. 
Inspired by the discovery of a Viking fort marded on the Ordnance Survey map in a friend’s garden she started working on a series of Viking Romances set in the Kingdon of Strathclyde at the end of the Ninth century. The Viking’s Cursed Bride is the first in a series of Books about four Norse cousins as they build new lives far from home.
• • •
• Find Mairibeth Online •
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Read and Excerpt!
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Cover Reveal for Promise for Tomorrow by Michelle De Bruin and Giveaway! @PrismBookTours #PromTomCR #michelledebruin #prismbooktours #christiansfiction @MichelleDAuthor

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for
Promise for Tomorrow
By Michelle De Bruin
Coming November 19, 2019...


 Living a life of faith isn’t going the way Logan and Karen hoped until some special visitors arrive and offer them their future back.

 Karen Millerson dreamed of teaching high school but now finds herself boarding with a farm family and teaching country school. She is engaged to marry Logan De Witt and is getting prepared to share in ministry with him. But when she gets blamed for the tragic fire at the school, Karen’s future grows uncertain.

 Logan De Witt is working to clear his family’s name with the bank. But when he breaks his leg, hindering his ability to work the farm, Logan is faced with life-changing decisions. When his best friend can’t offer the help he requested, can Logan find a way to care for his family and court Karen at the same time before his love for her destroys all of them?

(Affiliate link included.)
Pre-order: Amazon
Other Books in the Series

Hope for Tomorrow
By Michelle De Bruin
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 294 Pages
October 23rd 2018 by Mantle Rock Publishing LLC

When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.

Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child.

Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together.

Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life?

(Affiliate links included.)

About the Author


 Michelle De Bruin is a worship leader and spiritual services provider. She lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She writes stories about people who live in rural communities at the turn of the 20th century. Characters that bring to life the delights of farm and small town living, whispers of Dutch heritage, and Christian faith make her stories distinct.


Cover Reveal Giveaway


One winner will receive copies of Hope for Tomorrow and Promise for Tomorrow and a $20 Amazon eGift Card
US only
Ends October 25, 2019

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The Splendor Before Dark by Margaret George Book Spotlight!

Book Details

  • Hardcover: 592 pages
  • Publisher: Berkley; 1st Edition edition (November 6, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0399584617
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399584619

Follows the book The Confessions of Young Nero!

Ascending to the throne was only the beginning... Now Margaret George, the author of The Confessions of Young Nero, weaves a web of politics and passion, as ancient Rome's most infamous emperor cements his place in history.

With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned.

But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero's complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace--and the politicians...

For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome's--and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible.

Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world had ever known.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38599383-the-splendor-before-the-dark
Margaret George is a rolling stone who has lived in many places, beginning her traveling at the age of four when her father joined the U.S. diplomatic service and was posted to a consulate in Taiwan. The family traveled on a freighter named after Ulysses' son Telemachus that took thirty days to reach Taiwan, where they spent two years. Following that they lived in Tel Aviv (right after the 1948 war, when it was relatively quiet), Bonn and Berlin (during the spy-and-Cold-War days) before returning--at the height of Elvis-mania--to Washington DC, where Margaret went to high school. Margaret's first piece of published writing, at the age of thirteen, was a letter to TIME Magazine defending Elvis against his detractors. (Margaret has since been to Graceland.)

But it was earlier in Israel that Margaret, an avid reader, began writing novels to amuse herself when she ran out of books to read. Interestingly, the subject of these was not what lay around her in the Middle East, but the American west, which she had never set foot in. (Now that she lives in the American Midwest she writes about the Middle East!) Clearly writing in her case followed Emily Dickinson's observation "There is no frigate like a book" and she used it to go to faraway places. Now she has added another dimension to that travel by specializing in visiting times remote from herself.

Neither of these horse sagas got published, but the ten-year-old author received an encouraging note from an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, telling her she had a budding talent but should work on her spelling.

It was also in Israel that Margaret started keeping land tortoises as pets, an interest which she still follows today. She had a great affinity for animals and nature and that led her to a double major at Tufts University in English literature and biology. Following that she received an MA in ecology from Stanford University--one of the earliest departments to offer such a concentration. Today she is active in environmental and animal conservation groups.

Combining her interests led her to a position as a science writer at the National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health) in Bethesda, Maryland for four years.

Her marriage at the end of that time meant moving, first to St. Louis, then to Uppsala, Sweden, and then to Madison, Wisconsin, where she and her husband Paul have lived for more than twenty years now. They have one grown daughter who lives in California and is in graduate school.

Through all this Margaret continued to write, albeit slowly and always on only one project at a time. She wrote what she refers to as her 'Ayn Rand/adventure novel' in college and her 'Sex and the City' novel in Washington DC. It was in St. Louis that she suddenly got the idea of writing a 'psycho-biography' of Henry VIII. She had never seen such a thing done but became convinced the king was a victim of bad PR and she should rescue his good name. Her background in science meant that only after thoroughly researching the literature and scholarship on Henry VIII would she embark on the novel itself. She sought the guidance of a Tudor historian at Washington University for a reading list and proceeded from there.

It was actually fourteen years between her initial idea and the publication of The Autobiography of Henry VIII. The book made an impression for several reasons: first, because no one had ever written a novel sympathetic to the king before; second, because it covered his entire life from before birth until after his death, making it almost a thousand pages long, and third, because it was so fact-filled.
https://margaretgeorge.com/
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Autumn Halloween Countdown Blitz and Giveaway Day 3!



Julia Ridgmont grew up in the American West, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she knows how to ride a horse. What it does mean, however, is that she loves to weave the country’s rich history into riveting tales full of romance and intrigue.

When she’s not writing, Julia enjoys cooking, sewing costumes for her children, spending time with her husband, and watching her children perform in sports or plays—or, if she’s really bored or stuck on a plot twist, cleaning the house. She also writes contemporary inspirational romance under her real name, Laura L. Walker.

Follow Julia as she unveils heroes whose strength and courage are only surpassed by their tenderness, and heroines who hide their lonely hearts with a cover of steel. It will take overcoming insurmountable odds and an iron will for them to find a love that lasts forever. Luckily, they have Julia to help them along.

To guard his heart or protect two little girls . . . Is he willing to risk it all?

1871

Pinkerton detective Chas Bryant's last job for the agency is supposed to be easy—deliver a cache of stolen items back to Mount Vernon after recovering them from profiteers. Soon, however, Chas discovers that nothing in this case is simple. When he’s called upon to search for a little girl gone missing after her parents are murdered, there’s only one woman who can help him . . . but he’ll need to make her his wife in order to complete the investigation.

Jessica Flanders is only trying to rescue her younger sister from a fate bleaker than death. How can the powers that be possibly think that separating them from each other is a good idea? Jessica made a dying promise to her parents. Now she needs Chas’s help to get her sister back, but when they dig deeper into the matter, they discover another little girl with an even greater need for being rescued.

Soon it becomes clear that someone else is searching for the missing girl, too. Can they keep her safe until the case is solved and the murderers are caught? If so, Chas and Jessica will need to forge a bond that is stronger than the evil forces surrounding them, and in the process, a love that will never be lost.

Read each of the Pinkerton Matchmaker stories in any order. These agents give the phrase "married to your work" a whole new meaning!

Snippet:

“Do you know which direction Agent Bryant went from Mount Vernon?”
Chas breathed a sigh of relief when the woman told Creedy, “Why, I don’t rightly know. I think he was planning on heading back to Denver where he’s stationed.”
“And the Packards who stole the items . . . do you know what happened to them?”
“I believe Agent Bryant told Ms. Cunningham they were being transferred to a jail close to here, sir.”
“Very good. Thank you.”
The waitress brought Chas and Jessica’s food soon after. It was clear to him the previous conversation was finished. Still, Chas’s appetite was gone. He pushed his plate to the side.
Jessica pointed her spoon at him. “By not eating, you’re drawing attention to yourself.”
That brought him out of his stupor. He repositioned his plate and shoveled a large bite in his mouth, berating himself. This entire case—or was it his beautiful new wife?—was addling his brain.
He shook his head. The damage was already done. Why had he let his caution slide just because he was simply delivering a collection of recovered items to their rightful owner? He had only ever disclosed his real name in special circumstances, when absolutely necessary, such as in the situation two nights ago with the Packards. “That’s a lesson for you,” he said around a mouthful of eggs. They tasted like sawdust. “Never, ever use your real name when you’re on a case.”
“I just did.”
He stopped chewing and stared.
She shrugged. “In the barn, I told Mr. O’Neill my real name—at least my real name before I was married. You said there would be an advantage in doing so.”
With difficulty, Chas swallowed. What a mess he’d made of things! Hopefully, it wouldn’t cost them this investigation. Or their lives. Or the lives of two precious little girls.




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