Monday, April 23, 2012

Celebrate World Book Night With A Mystery

  
Today (Monday, April 23) is the day we celebrate World Book Night and you can’t help but love their slogan: “Spreading the Love of Reading, Person to Person.” 

With that in mind, I’d like to ‘spread the love of reading’ by telling you about 3 new releases from Berkley Prime Crime and Obsidian. Reading a cozy murder mystery is a great way to celebrate this special day that is all about books.


An Embroidery Mystery #49780451236463
Obsidian, 336 Pages
ISBN-13: 9780451236463
Paperback, $7.99 

This is a series that I have enjoyed from the very first book and the latest release, THE LONG STITCH GOOD NIGHT, just draws me right back in.

Marcy Singer’s specialty embroidery shop is among the establishments of Tallulah Falls, OR, gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day. During a St. Patrick’s Day/fraternity reunion party at Todd Calloway’s pub the Brew Crew a shot is heard and police find Todd and his friend Blake standing with a smoking gun and the body of their former fraternity brother.

Although she’s taken an interest in Irish embroidery, Marcy can’t help but abandon her needlecraft when the handsome brewer finds himself accused of murder. Both Todd and his friend Blake’s fingerprints are on the murder weapon, and neither is talking about what happened. Marcy is determined to stitch together some luck from more than a few four-leaf clovers and prove that the culprit was someone else. 

Author Amanda Lee has created a protagonist and a group of supporting characters that are realistic and likable. The story flows easy and at a quick pace. With a few twists and turns along the way, the story holds you captive until the end.

While this is the 4th installment in the series, it is a stand alone read. Other books in the Embroidery Mystery series include: THE QUICK AND THE THREAD (August 2010), STITCH ME DEADLY (February 2011), and THREAD RECKONING (September 2011).

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym Gayle Trent using for the Embroidery Mystery series. For more on the author, visit her website at http://www.gayletrent.com

REAP WHAT YOU SEW by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

9780425247068A Southern Sewing Circle Mystery #6
Berkley (Prime Crime), 288 Pages
ISBN-13: 9780425247068
Paperback, $7.99 

Who knew sewing could be so much fun and so deadly? Author Elizabeth Lynn Casey knew as she returns readers to the cozy setting featuring the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle.

Sweet Briar is chosen for the setting of a new movie, and everyone has dreams of stardom as they hope to be cast as an extra—and lucky Tori Sinclair lands the gig. But fame has its price, as the town learns when the film’s leading actress, Anita Belise, is found murdered. 

When suspicion falls on a member of the sewing circle, Tori must catch the killer to keep the tight-knit group from coming apart at the seams. 

REAP WHAT YOU SEW is a fun read filled with southern charm and intriguing characters. The suspense will keep you guessing until the killer is revealed. An added bonus is a number of helpful sewing tips and a Rag Quilt sewing pattern included at the end.

This is the 6th installment in the series, but is a stand alone read. Other books in the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery series include: SEW DEADLY (August 2009), DEATH THREADS (May 2010), PINNED FOR MURDER (October 2010), DEADLY NOTIONS (April 2011), and DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS (November 2011).

Author Elizabeth Lynn Casey’s website is http://elizabethlynncasey.com

LET THEM EAT STAKE by Sarah Zettel

A Vampire Chef Mystery #29780451236456
Obsidian, 320 Pages
ISBN-13: 9780451236456
Paperback, $7.99 

If you think preparing meals for your crowd is hard, just put yourself in Charlotte Caine’s shoes - she’s the “vampire chef” to New York’s burgeoning undead community.

It’s a dream for a “Vampire Chef”-cater the high-profile wedding of a 200-year-old vampire and a wealthy witch. So why did celebrity chef Oscar Simmons walk away from the money and the publicity? 

Charlotte agrees to take his place, even though she knows this paranormal wedding, thrown by power-hungry vampires and witches, could make (or break) her career, her restaurant, and her life. But when Simmons turns up dead, the groom’s family starts vanishing, and the police start asking pointed questions, Charlotte fears she may have picked the wrong wedding to stake her reputation on.

Author Sarah Zettel will have you believing catering to vampires and witches is a normal event, while tickling your funny bone with laugh-out loud moments. The story flows smoothly and will keep you in suspense. 

This is the 2nd installment in this series. The first book in the Vampire Chef Mystery series is A TASTE OF THE NIGHTLIFE (July 2011).

Author Sarah Zettel’s website is http://www.sarahzettel.com

FTC Full Disclosure - These books were sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review them. However, receiving these complimentary copies did not influence my reviews.
 
Do you have any special plans for celebrating World Book Night? Thanks so much for stopping by. Enjoy the day and spread the love of reading.

2 comments:

  1. Mason - Thanks for sharing these great ideas for books. World Book Night is such a good reminder of how enriching reading and books can be. The more we pass it on the better :-).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I didn't realize it was time for World Book Night! Thanks for the heads-up. These look like some great books to celebrate the occasion with. :)

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