Grace Sees Red {+ Giveaway}

◊ GRACE SEES RED by Julie Hyzy

◊ Series: A Manor House Mystery (Book 7)

◊ Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

◊ Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery

◊ Publisher: Berkley (June 28, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 0425281620

◊ ISBN-13: 978-04252871628

SYNOPSIS:

          The New York Times bestselling author of the Manor House Mysteries and the White House Chef Mysteries is back with another nail-biting murder mystery for curator Grace Wheaton. 

Grace Wheaton, curator and manager of Marshfield Manor, and her benefactor, Bennett Marshfield, are discussing how to help her roommates Bruce and Scott with their wine shop troubles when Grace’s trusted—if testy—assistant, Frances, calls, saying she needs some assistance of her own. Arriving at the address Frances has given them, they find a coroner’s van and police cars parked outside an upscale assisted-living facility called Indwell.
          One of the elderly residents has been found dead under suspicious circumstances, and Frances, seen arguing with the man earlier that day, is now a person of interest. It’s up to Grace to clear her assistant’s name and find the real killer—before another Indwell resident checks out early...

Author Julie Hyzy lures you into this story with a hint of a surprise and holds you spellbound with intrigue and suspense.

The setting is captivating as the characters work their way through the murder mystery. The characters are likable and well-developed. The loyalty and concern among the core cast of characters adds depth to the story.

Whether a returning fan or a new reader to this series, GRACE SEES RED can be read on its own. But don’t be surprised if the fun characters don’t entice you to read the prior books in the series just to know more background on them. Hyzy adds touches of new character tidbits to enhance the story, but not put new readers in the dark.

The story moves at a good pace flowing smoothly. The twists and turns are just enough without over powering the story. This is a delightful read that will have you smiling.

Grace Sees Red by Julie Hyzy, A Manor House Mystery (Book #7), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-04252871628, Mass Market Paperback, 304 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin/Random House, I have a print copy of GRACE SEES RED by Julie Hyzy to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, July 16.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Would you like to be the curator of a museum? What about searching for hidden rooms in a mansion, think that would be fun?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Foreign Eclairs {+ Giveaway}

*This post contains affiliate links

Preparing meals for the First Family is time consuming but White House executive chef Ollie Paras still manages to get into her fair share of trouble.

In author Julie Hyzy’s latest White House Chef Mystery series entry, FOREIGN ECLAIRS, Ollie is the target of a purse snatching with a much deadlier undercurrent.

With an attempted breakout at a federal prison and the murder of a fellow White House staff member, Ollie is on edge. Things get worse when she learns the brother of a terrorist she helped stop is behind the activities seeking vengeance against her. Life as Ollie knows it spins out of control as the Secret Service plot to stop the terrorist before more lives are lost.

Hyzy has created a likable, well-developed protagonist in Ollie. She’s tough with a tender heart and a love of cooking. The other cast of characters enhances this tantalizing mystery and creates a well-balanced story.

FOREIGN ECLAIRS is a fast-moving story with twists and turns to keep you guessing right up to the surprising end. The White House setting adds depth to the story. It can be read as a stand-alone, but new readers may want to check out the previous installments to get a more in-depth background on Ollie.

The tasty recipes shared by Ollie in the back of the book is an added bonus. Intriguing and captivating, this mystery will be hard to put down. Engaging characters, fascinating setting and a suspenseful plot make this a must read for this lastinstallment in the series by this author.

Foreign Eclairs by Julie Hyzy, A White House Chef Mystery (Book #9), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-0425262405, Mass Market Paperback, 304 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to Danielle and the great folks at Berkley, I have a print copy of FOREIGN ECLAIRS to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Thursday, Jan. 14.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Foreign Eclairs Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decide for whatever reason you don’t want to win, once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope I’ve enticed you to check out Julie’s latest release and find out more about Ollie’s adventure. Would you like to work in the White House kitchen? What do you think would be the best thing about working as the White House chef?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All the President’s Menus {+ Giveaway}

With the President’s State of the Union address this week, it’s a perfect time to welcome author Julie Hyzy to Thoughts in Progress to talk about her current release, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS, the latest installment in her White House Chef Mystery series.

Julie is joining us today to share ten tidbits about the White House Chef Mystery series. I’ll share my thoughts on this fun book and thanks to Julie and the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more giveaway details.

Now let’s give Julie a warm welcome as she share her Ten Tidbits. Welcome, Julie.

1. If you’re a regular reader of the White House Chef Mystery series, you already know that the First Family is required to cover all expenses for personal meals, but that fact still amazes me and I feel the need to include it here. State dinners and official events are covered by the White House budget, but the family must cover its own expenses when it comes to food. And, because there are extra steps and higher costs involved in procuring ingredients, those bills can be pretty high.

2. The White House doesn’t respond well to direct questions about the residence. Before I even began writing the first book, State of the Onion, I called the White House to ask some questions about staff hours, kitchen layout, colors on the floor and walls, etc. I was looking for details not usually found in books. This would have been in 2006, I think. They were uneasy, but asked me to fax them a list of questions. I did. Never heard back. I followed up. Still never heard back.

3. Later, in 2010 or so, I was able to give a couple of books to a friend who knew a friend who was related to a White House kitchen staff member. I’d hoped the staff member would either read the books, or pass them to someone else in the kitchen¾or … dreaming now… the First Lady¾who would enjoy them and say something positive in the media. Nope. The lesson here: The White House is a hard nut to crack. (Unless you’re racing past the Secret Service that is… <grin>)

4. Although Hollywood loves the idea of a White House Chef solving mysteries, the Powers That Be don’t love it enough.

5. Ollie has a mind of her own. I have often set her up to walk into a trap, or to do something sketchy, and she refuses. Not kidding. She puts her foot down and says “No.” It isn’t until I revise, change the circumstances, increase her motivation, or reset the stage that she complies.

6. Speaking of Ollie’s strong-mindedness, whenever I’m uncomfortable or awkward (usually social situations where I know no one) I pretend I’m Ollie. Asking myself “What Would Ollie Do?” helps me banish my nervousness.

7. My friends tell me they see me in Ollie’s role when they’re reading the books. I see America Ferrera. 

8. I’ve had a couple of different “ghost chefs” assist me by coming up with the fabulous recipes for the books. My favorites include the stuffed cherry tomatoes, the bacon-wrapped green beans, the brownie bites, the cucumber slices with pine nuts (I substitute goat cheese for feta), and the hummus.

9. There are a couple of “oops” moments in the stories. A misnamed monument, a mis-identified landmark, a cell phone that mysteriously reappeared—and more. I appreciate readers letting me know when they spot these mistakes, and I generally thank the first to let me know by sending him or her a signed copy of a book from my other series. Unfortunately, I’m unable to do so for every sharp-eyed reader, but please know that I’m delighted that you care enough to point these things out.

10. I would LOVE a personal tour of the White House. They don’t have to feed me (though I wouldn’t turn down a dinner invitation), just let me roam a little. Secret Service can accompany me if that makes them feel better. All I want is to explore every inch of the building, from the bottom-est basement to the snipers on the roof. And take pictures¾lots of pictures¾to refer to as I write the next book. Can you imagine how much fun that would be?

Julie, thanks for joining us today and sharing these tidbits. Now that you mention it, America Ferrera would make a good Ollie.

Now for those who aren’t familiar with Julie, let me share a bit of background on her.

Julie Hyzy is a New York Times Bestselling author with two award-winning series: White House Chef Mysteries and Manor House Mysteries. Her first experience with food included flipping burgers and chopping onions at a neighborhood hot dog stand. She traded that experience for a job as a singing waitress at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour—but gave that up when she started college (and because she couldn't carry a tune). 

Over the years, she's acted in community theater productions, appeared in television commercials, and crashed a previously all-male fraternity to become one of the first female brothers in Loyola University's Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi. Julie had dreams of becoming a writer, but family, friends, and frat brothers convinced her otherwise. Having held positions as junior officer at a downtown bank, office manager at an architectural firm, and financial advisor at a prestigious wealth management company, she realizes that the business degree was probably a good choice—but fiction is truly her passion. Now, with some well-earned life experience behind her, she's delighted to finally be able to make writing a priority in her life.

For more on Julie and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Here’s a brief synopsis of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS:

It’s an old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth. But when a tour of the White House kitchen by a group of foreign chefs ends in murder, it’s Olivia Paras who finds herself in the soup…
Due to a government sequester, entertaining at the White House has been severely curtailed. So executive chef Olivia Paras is delighted to hear that plans are still on to welcome a presidential candidate from the country of Saardisca—the first woman to run for office—and four of that nation’s top chefs.
But while leading the chefs on a kitchen tour, pastry chef Marcel passes out suddenly—and later claims he was drugged. When one of the visiting chefs collapses and dies, it’s clear someone has infiltrated the White House with ill intent. Could it be an anti-Saardiscan zealot? Is the candidate a target? Are the foreign chefs keeping more than their recipes a secret? Once again, Olivia must make sleuthing the special of the day…

My Thoughts ……….

Author Julie Hyzy continues to evolve the characters in this tantalizing series bringing a fresh fascination while keeping the traits and flavor of the individuals we’ve come to love. The characters are likable and realistic.

The story flows quickly with action and suspense as the author combines all the facets into a well-blended tale. Her rich descriptions places the reader in the middle of the setting. The mix of conspiracy and intrigue topped with suspense holds the reader’s attention from beginning to end.

To enhance the story, Hyzy shares mouth-watering recipes for a complete Presidential menu.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS is full of intrigue, thrills, witty dialogue and amusing characters.

All The President’s Menus by Julie Hyzy, A White House Chef Mystery Book #8, Berkley Prime Crime, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425262399, Paperback, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Julie Hyzy’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks for stopping by today during Julie’s visit. Have you ever been on a White House Tour? What room would you most like to see in the White House?

*This post contains affiliate links.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Do You Say?

Do you ever have times when you have a thousand-and-one (well maybe a dozen or so) things to say, but can’t seem to get anything out?

That’s kind of the way I feel. I can think of all sorts of things I want to share, say and ask, but when I get the opportunity my brain goes blank. So today’s post will be a jumble of things … you know a little of this, a little of that and making no sense whatsoever.

First, let me ask you something. See the photo above? Can anyone tell me what the pods are called and what (if anything) they are good for? The pods are growing on an old running rose bush. You would think that with all the books I have that I’d have one on roses, but I don’t.

With all the crazy weather we’ve been having I’m surprised to see new growth and leaves on the roses already. I have to stop and remind myself that it’s the time of year for things to start budding here in North Georgia.

An example of this is these cute little yellow flowers that are already blooming and the buttercups that are beginning to poke their heads through the leaves. Buttercups always amaze me that they can even bloom with snow on them. Hopefully they won’t have to do that this year.

I’m sorry I haven’t been around blogdom a lot lately. We’re busy outside cutting trees during the day and at night I’m trying to play catch-up on things I need to do inside. Some of the trees we’ve cut were crowding out the garden area, some were dead and dangerous, and some were just cut for firewood. We still have a few more that need to be cut that are crowding out flowers. The cleaning up of the branches is the worst part to me. A few of the trees are full of small branches and those have to be piled up to be burned later.

As we cut the trees I find myself imaging all sorts of things that could be made out of the wood. I’ve got several large slices of an oak put aside that I want to make clocks out of. There’s another section of a tree I think would make a beautiful table. Have you ever tried your hand at woodwork? What items have you or would you make?

I have several intriguing books to share with you later this week. In addition, author Julie Hyzy will be visiting on Friday and will be offering a giveaway of her new release, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MENUS.

A brief word about a report on the news this weekend. What are your thoughts on the measles outbreak at Disney World? Doesn’t it sound like something you’d read in a Michael Crichton novel? It’s a scary issue, but at the same time the mystery lover in me can’t help but think of all sorts of intriguing stories that could be developed from the situation. What do you think?

Well, I think I’ve run on far too long. I’ll close now by sharing a photo I took this weekend of a beautiful winter sky. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’re having a good day. What’s your week like? Is the winter a busy time for you? Does it seem like January is speeding by too quickly?


*This post contains an affiliate link.

Six Things About Grace and Manor House Mysteries {+ Giveaway}

I’m thrilled to welcome award-winning author Julie Hyzy here today to talk about GRACE AGAINST THE CLOCK, the last release in her Manor House Mystery series.

This enjoyable cozy murder mystery is the fifth installment in Julie’s delightful series. Thanks to Julie and the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy of GRACE AGAINST THE CLOCK to giveaway in celebration of its release. Please see the end of the post for more details.

First, here’s a brief synopsis of Grace’s latest adventure ….

        When Marshfield Manor hosts a charity event, Grace Wheaton, the mansion’s curator and manager, is happy to lend a helping hand—until a killer makes an unwanted donation…
        With the town clock in desperate need of repair, local lawyer Joyce Swedburg and her ex-husband, Dr. Leland Keay, are trying to put their differences aside to organize a benefit at Marshfield Manor to raise money to restore the beautiful timepiece. While Grace appreciates the opportunity to support such a good cause, the tension between the unhappy exes is giving her the urge to put both of the organizers in time out.
        But after Leland collapses on stage during the festivities, poisoned, Grace suspects there was more going on behind the scenes. Now, she’s in a race to catch a ticked off murderer, and, if she’s going to prevent anyone else from getting hurt, every second will count…

Julie joins us now to share a little quiz about ‘Six things you may not know about Grace and the Manor House Mystery series.’ Welcome, Julie.

Where has the time gone? My fifth Manor House mystery, Grace Against the Clock, debuted July 1, 2014, and I’m both amazed and enthralled by the warm reception Grace and her friends at Marshfield have received. 

Whether you’ve read one, two, four, or none of the prior titles, you may have fun taking the following quiz. No worries, we won’t keep score. This is simply a chance for me to share a little behind-the-book trivia with you:

1. When writing the first book in the series, Grace Under Pressure, I knew I’d have to come up with suitable name for the magnificent estate where Grace would work and ultimately find family. What is Marshfield’s name an homage to?

a) A defunct sports team

b) A department store

c) A street in Chicago

d) A wide meadow I used to visit as a child.

2. In Grace Interrupted, we meet a little tuxedo kitten for the first time—Bootsie. Grace wants nothing more than to adopt the bundle of fur. But there’s a problem. What is it?

a) Grace is allergic

b) Bootsie’s owners reclaim their pet

c) Grace can’t have pets in her building

d) Grace’s lifestyle can’t accommodate a pet

BONUS: What’s Bootsie’s gender?

3. In Grace Among Thieves, two priceless antiques play a key role in the story. What are they? (Pick two)

a) An original American flag from revolutionary war times

b) Five Picasso originals

c) A jewel encrusted tiara

d) A World War II sword

4. In Grace Takes Off, Grace and Bennett visit Florence, Italy. While there, Bennett begins to suspect that his elderly friend’s treasures are being systematically stolen and replaced with fakes. Bennett first notices something amiss (and points it out to Grace) on what piece of artwork:

a) A Picasso sculpture of a skull

b) An oil painting from Renoir

c) A Ming dynasty vase

d) A fresco transported from Milan

5. Grace Against the Clock was written and almost complete before being assigned a permanent title. Believe it or not, the first version had no clock in it whatsoever. Here’s the question: The book opens with a fundraiser for renovating the town clock. What was the original purpose of the fundraiser in the manuscript’s pre-title-change version?

a) A women’s shelter

b) Streets and Sanitation in Emberstowne

c) The local hospital

d) The local food pantry

6. Grace’s personal issues, beginning with the loss of her mother and her subsequent discovery of other possible family connections, is based (loosely) on what other story?

a) Jane Eyre

b) The LaPlace-Dutz Saga

c) Anne of Green Gables

d) Pollyanna

Ready? Answers below. If you get all the answers correct—Woo-hoo! We must have met in person, because some of this information doesn’t appear in any of the books.

ANSWERS:

          1. b – department store. I named Marshfield after the former (and beloved) Marshall Field’s, whose flagship store was on State Street in Chicago, and where I spent many a lunch hour when I was working in the city.
          2. a – Grace is allergic to cats. As am I—something I didn’t realize until our daughters adopted sister cats. BONUS: Bootsie is female.
          3. c and d
          4. a
           5. c
          6. b – My mother was raised as a LaPlace, but her real father was Joe Dutz, a fact we didn’t discover until shortly after my mother passed away and her sister spilled family secrets.

Thanks for taking the quiz! I hope you enjoyed and that you learned a little more about Grace and the gang. If you’re new to the series, I hope this quiz piqued your interest.

Julie, thanks for joining us and sharing this look at Grace. It was fun remembering things from the earlier books.

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with Julie, here’s a brief background.

Author Julie Hyzy

Anthony and Barry Award winner Julie Hyzy is the New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef Mystery series featuring the intrepid Olivia (Ollie) Paras, and the Manor House Mystery series featuring mansion curator Grace Wheaton.

For more on Julie and her writing, visit her website and blog, as well as connect with her on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of GRACE AGAINST THE CLOCK. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end Friday, July 18. 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Julie Hyzy’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Did you enjoy the quiz? How did you do on it?

*This post contains affiliate links. a Rafflecopter giveaway