Sunday Salon: Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams

  

It’s time again to get comfortable, make sure your cup of coffee is filled and discuss the books we’ve enjoyed this past week as another edition of Sunday Salon has arrived.

Today I have a cozy murder mystery to share that has deep Southern roots, yummy recipes, and a whodunit to keep you guessing.

HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE by Riley Adams

Beauty pageants, a popular event in the South, can be fun but cause hard feelings among competitors and judges alike.

Pageant coach Tristan Pembroke is at the top of the list of those judges disliked. She can’t even get along with her own daughter, Steffi.

Aunt Pat’s Barbecue Restaurant, located in the heart of Memphis, TN, is known for having the best barbecue around and a family-feel atmosphere. Lulu Taylor, owner of Aunt Pat’s, can’t help but step in to help when she sees someone in trouble. She hires Steffi as a waitress and gives her a place to stay when Tristan kicks her out. 

Later Lulu; her daughter-in-law, Sara; her friend, Cherry Hayes; and Steffi attend an auction at Tristan’s. Unfortunately Sara and Tristan argue over a portrait Sara had done of Tristan. When Lulu goes searching for Sara, she founds Tristan instead and she’s dead.

Finding dead bodies seems to becoming a habit for Lulu. Before she gets deep fried for murder, Lulu teams up with Cherry to find the killer. The more they search, the more suspects they uncover. Can they find the real killer before it’s too late?

Author Riley Adams demonstrates Southern culture through the actions and voices of her core cast of characters. She makes her characters lovable, but realistic with flaws and problems - not counting the murder.

Each new installment in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series draws readers into the world of the Taylors and their friends just a bit more. The characters continue to evolve as we get to know them better. The cast of supporting characters adds spice, flavor and just enough zaniness to have you laughing at times.

Despite Lulu’s uncanny ability to find murder and mayhem, HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE gives you a feeling of family and friendship, caring and concern, warmth, and hospitality. The delicious recipes included at the end are an added bonus.

Pick up HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE and step into the fascinating world of suspense, murder and intrigue topped with a big dollop of Southern virtues, lip-smacking recipes, and good wholesome fun.

HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE is the 3rd book in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series, but is a stand alone read. New fans just finding Lulu and Aunt Pat’s will want to check on Lulu’s earlier adventures in DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS and FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD.

Riley Adams is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Spann Craig, who blogs daily at Mystery Writing Is Murder and on Wednesdays at Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. 

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams, A Memphis BBQ Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 9780425244609, Paperback,  288 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - 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.

What was on your reading schedule this past week? Thanks so much for dropping by. 

Hallo-NaBlo-Versary.....Again

Does anyone remember this word from last year? It’s my very own special word I created just for this date. It represents 3 important things to me.

First part - Hallo. For Halloween, of course. So HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone. For those not celebrating, HAPPY MONDAY. 

I know some areas celebrated over the weekend with parties, walks, festivals, and lot of treats. Others may celebrate today. It’s just a great time to have fun and eat lots of good candy. Since this candy is consumed in honor of a holiday, there are no calories involved, right? This is important because it's a time adults can have fun like they did when they were kids and no one thinks it's crazy. We need more fun time in our lives.

Second part - NaBlo. Once again I participated in the NaBloWriMo challenge for October and today is the last day. I was fortunate enough to reach the goal of having a blog post for each day of the month. This, however, couldn’t have been done without the wonderful help of numerous authors who were kind enough to guest blog for me. 

If you haven’t read their posts this month, please browse back through and catch up on some interesting articles and a few giveaways that remain open. Thank you all again for helping me out this month.

Third part - Versary. Today I celebrate the second anniversary of Thoughts in Progress being in existence. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that I’d reach this mark. And reaching this mark was made possible by you, the wonderful friends who stop by each day, and the amazing authors willing to guest blog and talk about their craft. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU ALL so very much.

This year I wasn’t able to blog every day due to various reasons including the health issues my in-laws have faced. Here I must say another huge THANK YOU for all the love and support y’all have shown me through my mother-in-law’s hospitalization, recovery and now our daily journey with her Alzheimer’s Disease.

There are days I’m not able to stop by and visit everyone’s blog as I’d love to do, yet y’all continue to show your support for this blog. I appreciate that more than words can express.

That care, compassion and support has also been a huge comfort to me with the recent loss of our cat, Gum Drop. I will treasure your words and acts of kindness forever.

This past year has had it’s ups and downs for everyone throughout blogdom. I’m in awe of how we as a people come together to show our support and love for each other no matter how small or large the situation. I’m blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community of caring people.

Now let me try to give a brief history of how I came to blog for those who don’t know and as a way to say thanks (again) to 2 very special ladies.

A coffee addict, it was only natural I’d love reading THE COFFEEHOUSE MYSTERY series by wonderful author Cleo Coyle. Through her newsletter I was fortunate in 2009 to win an ARC copy of HOLIDAY GRIND (the first book I reviewed on this blog). At the time I only published reviews in the paper I worked for.

Corresponding with Cleo, I learned about the formation of the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen blog. I was clueless what a blog was. Cleo explained and encouraged me to try my hand at blogging as another way to share my reviews. With her help and advice, I posted my first blog entry on Oct. 31, 2009.

Cleo introduced me to another author who would be a part of the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen team, the talented Elizabeth Spann Craig. Elizabeth has been amazing in so many ways. She’s given help, advice and encouragement with my blogging. She was my first follower. She was there when I had questions about Facebook and also helped and encouraged when I ventured into Twitter. It’s my understanding she has been a guiding force for many newcomers to blogdom.

These 2 fascinating authors were my first introduction into the wonderful world of blogging. They took time from their busy schedules to help someone who was not an author, but a mere reader and opened a whole new world for me. I am so thankful for their support.

Now I know this is getting lengthy, but I just want to say, no stress again, how thankful I am for having ‘meet’ all of you wonderful people. I am truly blessed for the friendship of each and every one of you. Thank you - authors, bloggers, book publishers, book promoters, readers, everyone - for making Thoughts in Progress what it is.

I can’t say it enough,

 
* BTW, Elizabeth (also known as Riley Adams) has a new book out tomorrow -- HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE, A Memphis BBQ Mystery -- featuring the lovable protagonist Lulu Taylor. Don't miss it.
 

Sunday Salon: Finger Lickin' Dead by RIley Adams

The week is gone and it’s time to start a new one with Sunday Salon.

So get comfortable, reach for a cup of your favorite brew and let us discuss books. My morning cup (or two) of coffee is a must. But as the sizzling summer heat blankets our area, my taste turns to sweet tea during the day. No one makes a better glass of cold, sweet ice tea than Lulu Taylor, the owner of Aunt Pat’s Barbecue Restaurant. You ask who that is. Well, a perfect reading companion to a relaxing summer day is the soon-to-be released second installment in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series by Riley Adams featuring Lulu Taylor in FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD.

FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD by Riley Adams

Aunt Pat’s Barbecue Restaurant in the heart of Memphis (Tenn.) feels a bit of a hit when an anonymous food critic gives it a bad review. Famous for its ribs and spicy cornbread, Aunt Pat’s takes the bad press much better than another restaurant that closes its doors after a bad review.

Lulu Taylor, owner of Aunt Pat’s, is more worried about one of her close friends and loyal customers, Evelyn. It seems Evelyn is blinded by the love of her former husband who has cheating ways and always looking for money.

When it’s learned that Evelyn’s ex, Adam, is the anonymous food critic, things heat up hotter than the Fourth of July. Before long Adam is found dead and the list of suspects begins to grow. Was it his ex-soon-to-be again wife, was it his soon-to-be ex-wife, one of the restaurant owners he blasted in a review, or maybe it was just a loyal restaurant customer upset over his take on the delicious food?

When a second person turns up dead, the situation gets as sticky as the sauce on Aunt Pat’s lip-smackin BBQ ribs. As Lulu tries to sort through the list of suspects, she gets a little too close to the killer. Meanwhile, the gang pulls together to help out one of their own with a most unusual wedding at Graceland.

Author Riley Adams has created a group of characters that will have you laughing, crying and shaking your head. If you live in the South, her take on Southern charm will remind you why you love it so. This is a story about family, friendship, loyalty, and Southern charm, not to mention murder, mystery, mayhem and intrigue.

FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD is the second installment in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series, but is a stand alone book. An added bonus is several of the delicious recipes mentioned throughout the story are included in the back of the book.

Once you pick up FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD, you won’t be able to put it down until you find out whodunit and how the wedding turned out.

Riley Adams is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Spann Craig, who blogs daily at Mystery Writing Is Murder and blogs on Wednesdays at Mystery Lovers Kitchen. FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD is scheduled to be released June 7, but can be pre-order now.

Finger Lickin’ Dead by Riley Adams, A Memphis BBQ Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-425-24191-2, Paperback, 264 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - 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.

Do you enjoy mysteries with a Southern fare? Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday.

Sunday Salon: Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams

Lip-smackin’ good barbecue to die for.

That could literally serve as the slogan for Aunt Pat’s Barbecue Restaurant. However, owner Lulu Taylor isn’t happy with the dying part, she just wants the patrons to love her barbecue in DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS, a Memphis Barbecue Mystery series.

Aunt Pat’s, located in the heart of Memphis, TN, has the reputation for having the best barbecue around. This title brings Rebecca Adrian, a prominent Cooking Channel show scout, to town to have a taste. But Rebecca has a flare for rubbing everyone the wrong way.

Within a short period of time Rebecca insults or humiliates a number of Aunt Pat’s patrons and staff, including several members of Lulu’s immediate family. With tempers flaring hotter than the oven at Aunt Pat’s, Rebecca is found dead in her hotel room after being poisoned.

While regular customers would never imagine getting tainted food at Aunt Pat’s, suspicion is starting to grow and Lulu decides to take matters into her own hands. She’s determine to find the killer and get a clean bill of health for her restaurant.

As Lulu begins to investigate, the list of suspects also begins to grow. While she’s finding clues, you’re introduced to some unique and lovable characters that frequent the restaurant. Among these will be the Graces, a group of ladies as loyal to Aunt Pat’s as they are to Graceland where they volunteer. Each one of the Graces is a delight, a bit of a character, and most are suspects in the murder.

Lulu quickly learns everyone is hiding secrets including her nine-year-old twin granddaughters.

Another murder causes Lulu to turn up the heat in her investigation after she’s knocked out by the killer minutes after finding the second body. Lulu may not be a spring chicken anymore, but she’s not about to let the killer cook her goose.

While trying to find the killer, Lulu also has time to interfere in her youngest son’s life, help play matchmaker with a couple of restaurant patrons, and go on an overnight outing with the Graces where they get stranded in the middle of a lake.

Author Riley Adams puts together a great mixture of eclectic characters, a wonderful sense of Southern culture, and a strong murder mystery. She sprinkles in the right amount of humor to flavor the story. But the icing on the cake is the twists the storyline takes at the end. Just when you think you know who the killer is, she adds a dash of surprise causing you to shake your head in disbelief and awe.

By the time you finish DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS your mouth will be watering for the savory dishes mentioned throughout the story. For an added treat, a number of the recipes are included in the back of this cozy murder mystery book. Among the recipes is Pulled Pork Barbeque and Sauce, and Aunt’ Pat’s Spicy Corn Muffins.

DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS is author Riley Adam’s first book in the Memphis Barbecue Mystery series. Can’t wait to see what Lulu’s cooking up next. This saucy amateur sleuth will have you coming back wanting more.

Riley Adams is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Spann Craig, who blogs daily at Mystery Writing Is Murder and blogs on Thursdays at Mystery Lovers Kitchen. DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS is scheduled to be released July 6, but can be pre-order now.

Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams, Berkley Prime Crime, @2010, ISBN: 978-0-425-23553-9, Paperback, 288 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - 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.