Sunday Salon: The Begonia Bribe, Hex On The Ex, Gluten for Punishment

Once again we come to another Sunday Salon where we share the fabulous books that we’ve discovered and read throughout the past week and learn of new books to explore in coming days.

It’s time to relax and unwind from the pressures of the week. Pull up that comfort chair and fluff up the cushions. Make sure you have plenty of your favorite beverage on hand, maybe a treat or two, prop your feet up, and let’s talk books.

Each month the good folks at Berkley Prime Crime release some of the most intriguing cozy murder mysteries on the market. This month is no excerpt with two of my favorite series returning with new installments and the start of a fun new series I’m looking forward to following. When it comes to cozy mysteries, you can find a theme for almost everything.

THE BEGONIA BRIBE by Alyse Carlson

Mixing beautiful flowers and a beauty pageant for little girls sounds like an ideal match, but throw in a murder and you have the plot for an intriguing cozy murder mystery.

It’s Camellia Harris’ job to promote the lovely gardens of the Roanoke Garden Society, but she never dreamed her job would include helping with a beauty pageant for little girls. When the Little Miss Begonia Pageant decides to hold it’s state finals in Elmwood Park, Cam has to spruce up the park in July, deal with the pint-size contestants and their sometimes mean-spirited mothers, as well as the judges.

Cam finds the drama onstage doesn’t compare with what goes on with the judges - jealousy, betrayal and a love triangle. Local newsman Telly Stevens, one of the judges, is married to the executive producer of the local television station WONK but that doesn’t stop his womanizing. Meanwhile, it appears somebody is also trying to stop the pageant altogether. When Stevens is found dead, apparently poisoned by some sort of plant, the drama heats up.

Cam has a whole garden of potential suspects and motives. She has to find the killer before the entire pageant fades away in the July heat.

Author Alyse Carlson has created a likable and realistic character in her protagonist Camellia Harris. Carlson has given her strengths and flaws that makes her a friend we’d like to know better. The added traits of the secondary characters makes for a well-balanced story. Carlson has a good mix of friendship, suspense, humor and a dash of romance woven throughout the story.

Moving at a steady pace, THE BEGONIA BRIBE draws the reader in and holds their attention until the last petal is dropped. While the setting is exquisite gardens, you don’t have to be a botanist to enjoy this cozy mystery. Cam and her friends will delight you as they hold you in suspense until the killer is revealed.

Carlson’s eye for detail will place you in the middle of the action. This is a delightful summer read for the cozy murder mystery enthusiasts. 

THE BEGONIA BRIBE is the second installment in the Garden Society Mystery Series, but can be read alone. For more background on Cam and her colorful friends, be sure to read the first installment, THE AZALEA ASSAULT (June 2012).

Author Alyse Carlson’s website is http://waterytart23.blogspot.com/

The Begonia Bribe by Alyse Carlson, A Garden Society Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2013, ISBN: 978-0425251621, Paperback, 336 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.
 

HEX ON THE EX by Rochelle Staab

A spunky protagonist returns for another encounter with the supernatural, but this time the bad omens hit too close to home.

A Dodgers game to celebrate her father’s birthday is no picnic for psychologist Liz Cooper. Her ex-husband, Jarret, is the star player and her ex-best friend. Laycee, is in the stands. Jarret and Laycee’s affair are why they are both formers in Liz’s life.

But things are soon thrown off balance for the superstitious Jarret when a white pigeon, an omen of death, appears during the game and Jarret crosses a chalk line. It seems the omen continues off the field when Laycee is found dead in Jarret’s home the next morning. Jarret and Liz both become suspects.

Needing help to clear her name, Liz turns to one person she knows she can depend on her boyfriend, occult professor Nick Garfield.

Author Rochelle Staab continues to evolve her spirited protagonist Liz Cooper making her even more likable and enjoyable with each installment. The fascinating secondary characters add flavor and charm to the story as they grow with Liz.

HEX ON THE EX moves at a steady pace pulling the reader in on the first page and holding them spellbound until the last paragraph. Staab weaves a tale of romance, friendship, betrayal and suspense with just the right amount of superstition and humor blended in the mix.

Staab’s passion for research shows in her writing. You don’t have to be a fan of the occult to enjoy this enthralling book, just a lover of cozy murder mysteries.

HEX ON THE EX is the third installment in the Mind For Murder Mystery Series, but is a stand alone read. To follow the series, be sure to read WHO DO, VOODOO? (November 2011) and BRUJA BROUHAHA (August 2012).

Author Rochelle Staab’s website is http://www.rochellestaab.com

Hex On The Ex by Rochelle Staab, A Mind For Murder Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2013, ISBN: 978-0425252017, Paperback, 304 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.
 

GLUTEN FOR PUNISHMENT by Nancy J. Parra

Who knew gluten-free could be so enticing?

Baker Toni Ryder makes her own way in the baking world preparing allergy-safe, gluten-free products for her online bakery, Baker’s Treat. When she opens a gluten-free bakery in the heart of wheat country Kansas, she may have gone over the top. Skeptical residents aren’t sure about her flour-free ways and then a local wheat farmer is found murdered outside her shop so suspicion grows even more.

The bad publicity and increasing vandalism could cause Toni to have to close her shop. She’s determine to find the real killer so she enlists the help of her eccentric and feisty grandmother. But when a second murder is discovered, Toni realizes the killer is out to do more than close her shop. Finding the real killer is the only way to save her shop and her life.

Author Nancy J. Parra has the start of a delightful new series that not only entertains but informs readers. Parra has given her protagonist Celiac Disease providing readers with a closer look at how gluten-free can be delicious. She has made Toni likable and realistic with zany secondary characters to add to the mix.

Parra has placed the story in a small town setting having an eye for detail that makes the reader feel they are there. GLUTEN FOR PUNISHMENT moves at a good pace keeping the reader guessing as she includes a few twists and turns along the way. The plot holds the reader’s attention from beginning to end.

While the story deals with living a gluten-free lifestyle, it’s not overpowering. The focus stays on the cozy murder mystery and the captivating cast of characters. This is a tasty treat for the cozy murder mystery lover.

GLUTEN FOR PUNISHMENT is the first installment in the exciting new Baker’s Treat Mystery Series. An added bonus is the delicious gluten-free recipes included in the back such as Gluten-Free Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Author Nancy J. Parra’s website is http://www.nancyjparra.com

Gluten for Punishment by Nancy J. Parra, A Baker’s Treat Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2013, ISBN: 978-0425252109, Paperback, 304 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.
 
Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite series theme that you enjoy following? Aren’t the covers for cozies always so interesting?

The Circle of Cozy Mysteries

Life is a series of circles and connections that we might not always see or even understand. One thing can lead to another and that leads to something else and on to another before coming back to the first.

What does all this have to do with cozy mysteries? In the shortest explanation possible, I had a favorite author who lead me to blogging which lead me to another author that I now also consider a favorite which is now friends with the first author and they both publish through Berkley Prime Crime. See the connections and how the circle just widens for more enjoyable reading? 

With that in mind, I’m sharing my thoughts today on both authors’ latest releases.

A BREW TO A KILL by Cleo Coyle

This is a series I first picked up some years ago simply because it said ‘Coffeehouse Mystery’ on the cover. Being a coffee lover, I couldn’t resist, ON WHAT GROUNDS.

I quickly fell in love with the protagonist, Clare Cosi, and her group of zany supporting characters. The tantalizing mysteries have continued to entertain me and the latest in the series, A BREW TO A KILL, is no exception.

While her coffeehouse characters are all well-developed, author Cleo Coyle continues to evolve her protagonist thus keeping the series from growing stale. In addition, the author incorporates real events into her plots making the scenarios very plausible.

This time around Clare and the gang at the Village Blend coffeehouse are busier than ever with their new Muffin Muse coffee truck. Combining premium drinks and poetry by Esther, it’s a slam hit. But a shocking hit-and-run followed by a mysterious death at a food truck-catered wedding spurs Clare into investigator action. 

Meanwhile, her ex-husband Matt, the shop’s globetrotting coffee buyer, has found some amazing new Brazil coffee beans. However, Matt’s in for a surprise when he discovers he’s importing more than just beans.

With the new discovery, it seems Clare may have been the real target of the hit-and-run after all. Now Clare and Max must put aside any differences they have and work as a team to find the killer before it’s too late for Clare. So between a drug kingpin, federal agents, a Dragon Boat festival, dealing with her ex and running Village Blend, Clare may have a few minutes for NYPD Detective Mike Quinn - personal minutes that is.

A BREW TO A KILL is a fast-pace adventure with as many twists and turns as there are coffee blends. The action is heart-pounding with shots of humor and romance mixed in for a well-blended tale. Coffee with Clare and the crew just keeps getting better and better.

An added bonus to this delightful mystery is the coffee tips and delicious recipes included in the back of the book. You don’t have to be a coffee lover or even a coffee drinker to enjoy Clare’s mad cap journey as she searches for a killer.

A BREW TO A KILL is the 11th installment in the Coffee House Mystery series and can be read on its own. However, for a better understanding of the protagonist and her group of zany friends read all the prior installments: ON WHAT GROUNDS (September 2003), THROUGH THE GRINDER (October 2004), LATTE TROUBLE (August 2005), MURDER MOST FROTHY (August 2006), DECAFFEINATED CORPSE (July 2007), FRENCH PRESSED (April 2008), ESPRESSO SHOT (October 2008), HOLIDAY GRIND (November 2009), ROAST MORTEM (August 2010), and MURDER BY MOCHA (August 2011).

Author Cleo Coyle’s website is www.coffeehousemystery.com. Cleo Coyle is the pen name for Alice Alfonsi, who writes with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Cleo is also the pseudonym for Alice Kimberly.

A Brew to a Kill by Cleo Coyle, A Coffee House Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2012, ISBN: 9780425247877, Hardcover, 384 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. 

BRUJA BROUHAHA by Rochelle Staab

Stories dealing with dark magic, the occult and psychology can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, but author Rochelle Staab has a way of bringing all these elements together in a captivating read.

Staab’s latest release, BRUJA BROUHAHA, features protagonist Liz Cooper, a psychologist, and her boyfriend, Nick Garfield, an occult professor. Liz and Nick are among friends helping Paco and Lucia Rojas celebrate their sixteenth wedding anniversary.

During the celebration, Paco has to leave to let a tenant into the building. When gunfire erupts, the celebrating group rushes to find Paco and a friend of the tenant have been killed by a drive-by shooter.

Overcome with grief and blaming their neighbors for the increased violence in their area, Lucia places a vengeful hex on the entire neighborhood. A Santeria priestess, Lucia soon finds herself in danger as dark secrets are revealed.

Liz doesn’t believe in curses, but with Nick’s help she does what she can for Lucia. It’s up to Liz and Nick to get to the bottom of the strange happenings before someone else, possible Liz, becomes the next victim.

Staab has created a fun and likable protagonist in Liz and given her a delightful group of supporting characters to interact with. Liz and Nick are both strong and independent characters, but each with flaws readers can relate to.

BRUJA BROUHAHA flows at a steady pace keeping the reader’s attention from beginning to end. The sparks of romance between Liz and Nick add another layer to this intriguing story. Filled with surprises and suspense, this is a must read for the summer and a refreshing series to follow.

BRUJA BROUHAHA is the second installment in the Mind for Murder Mystery series, but can be read alone. The first installment is WHO DO, VOODOO? (November 2011).

Author Rochelle Staab’s website is www.rochellestaab.com

Bruja Brouhaha by Rochelle Staab, A Mind for Murder Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2012, ISBN: 978-0425251492, Paperback, 304 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 have a favorite series you discovered by accident? Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Who Do, VooDoo? by Rochelle Staab And A Giveaway

The delightful author Rochelle Staab stopped by last week to talk about superstitions and her new book. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on her cozy murder mystery debut release.

WHO DO, VOODOO? is the first installment in the author’s new Mind For Murder Mystery series. 

Thanks to Rochelle and Kaitlyn at Berkley Prime Crime, I have 1 copy of WHO DO, VOODOO? to giveaway to a lucky visitor who comments on this post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Nov. 17. Be sure to include your e-mail address if it’s not included in your profile. (Giveaway open to U.S. residents only, sorry.)

WHO DO, VOODOO? by Rochelle Staab

Having learned additional background beforehand, I began reading WHO DO, VOODOO? with a bit of apprehension. 

Would the characters be as I had imaged? Would the plot hold my attention given the extra information? Would the author be able to explain voodoo, tarot readings, and such without it reading like a text book?

Oh my, YES, YES and YES! The book exceeded all my expectations drawing me into the world of the protagonist and her friends as if it were my own. The story held my attention with fast-pace action and engaging dialogue. The explanations of tarot readings, voodoo and the supernatural were informative, not overwhelming.  

Author Rochelle Staab has created characters that will delight, amuse, entertain, irritate, frustrate, warm your heart, and remind you of dating anxieties from your youth. Her writing style is smooth, easy flowing making for a relaxing read with just the right hint of suspense.

Liz Cooper is a psychologist who looks at life through rational eyes. When her best friend, Robin Bloom, finds tarot cards stuck to her door, she believes it’s an omen but Liz doesn’t. The cards are the same as the ones Robin’s husband drew the night before he died in a wreck. Liz’s mother, Vivian, did the tarot reading for his 40th birthday.

Wanting to help her friend, Liz turns to Nick Garfield for assistance. Nick was her brother Dave’s college roommate and is now a religious philosophy professor and an expert on the occult. As they track down the tarot deck, a murder occurs and Robin is the prime suspect. Liz is determined to find the real killer and free her friend. She and Nick explore the world of voodoo while a growing attraction between them builds. Will they find the killer or has Robin already been dealt the final card?

While the world of black magic, tarot cards and the supernatural may sound dark and heavy, Staab lightens it up a bit. She weaves the story with moments of humor, bonds of friendship, a budding romance, and sprinkles occult information to make it a fascinating read. The twists and turns will keep you guessing till the end.

The fun references to old black and white movies adds a charming touch. Liz’s no-nonsense approach reminded me at times of the wonderful Kathryn Hepburn. Nick’s fun-loving attitude resembles that of the amazing Cary Grant. With characters like this and the zany group of supporting cast, this is an intriguing new series to follow. Can’t wait to see what Liz and Nick are up to in BRUJA BROUHAHA slated for release in the summer of 2012.

Author Rochelle Staab’s website is www.rochellestaab.com

Who Do, VooDoo? by Rochelle Staab, A Mind For Murder Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 9780425244593, Paperback,  304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Do you enjoy a bit of supernatural in your mysteries from time to time? Thanks so much for stopping by today. 

Author Rochelle Staab: Are You Superstitious?

Having loved books for as long as I can remember, I’ve thought of authors as celebrity-types, unreachable by their fans. Blogdom has shown me a different side to authors and I am honored to call a number of them friends. Among those friends I’ve made is a very fascinating author who’s cozy mystery, WHO DO VOODOO?, made it’s debut appearance this week.

I’m delighted to welcome the multi-talented author Rochelle Staab as the special guest blogger here today. I had the pleasure of meeting Rochelle through one of her critique partners, VR Barkowski. VR is an author, blogger, friend and fellow Georgian. Thanks VR for pointing Rochelle in my direction. You’re a gem.

In chatting back and forth with Rochelle about her book, I was enchanted by her characters and the storyline. I was amazed at the research she had done. She’ll tell you more about that in a second. Here’s a brief synopsis of WHO DO, VOODOO? the first novel in Rochelle’s thrilling new Mind For Murder Mystery series features no-nonsense Liz Cooper, a Los Angeles psychologist forced to embrace the occult to clear her best friend of murder.
 
When Liz Cooper’s friend Robin Bloom finds an unusual tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz writes it off as a prank. Robin refuses to ignore the omen—her late husband drew the same card, the three of swords, in a reading the night before he was killed in a car accident. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone very dangerous is upping the ante.
 
Liz turns to her brother’s ex-college roommate, occult expert Nick Garfield.  As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the deck, she can't ignore their attraction to each other. Then a woman is found murdered and Robin becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her friend, Liz joins forces with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer.

 

Rochelle has joined us today to talk about superstitions and tell about the detailed research she did for her book and series.

My family was superstitious. No hats on the bed (bad luck), shoes on the table (an argument), and we tossed spilled salt over our shoulders to keep away the devil. Children are magical thinkers and I bought into it. Doubt seeped in when my persistent wish for a magic wand just didn’t come true. In a way, maybe it did. My pen is sort of a magic wand—a tool to write mysteries. Mysteries with a supernatural twist.

Voodoo made a deliciously dark and threatening component to toss in a murder mystery set in Los Angeles, a city with psychic shops on every mile, séances held in Hollywood homes, and fortunetellers at parties. Intrigued by the ubiquitous psychic shops around town, my idea for WHO DO, VOODOO? originated with a character—Nick Garfield, a professor of religious philosophy and specialist in alternative beliefs, who on the side consults LAPD in occult-related crimes. 

Enter Liz Cooper—a clever, but skeptical psychologist dismissive toward the supernatural. Liz seeks Nick’s help after her friend Robin is harassed by a series of tarot cards, the same menacing cards drawn in a reading the night before Robin’s husband died in a car crash two years earlier. Liz sets out to find the source of the tarot deck and punish the prankster.

The research on Liz and Nick’s resulting adventure gave me a series of memorable experiences. Opening the story with the right tarot card seemed simple enough. I thought I could find enough information online to make my tarot card a reasonable threat. But which card? Google led me to hundreds of sites, curiosity drew me to books, and the books (along with a few live tarot readings) convinced me that the only way I could accurately write about tarot was to actually learn the art of reading tarot. Four months and sixteen tarot classes later, I can read a spread with confidence. My scenes gained authenticity and my new skill comes in handy at parties. Avoid the Tower. Hope for the Nine of Cups.

I added the voodoo twist to the WHO DO, VOODOO? plot following a trip to New Orleans. My curiosity about voodoo—the mysterious Haitian religion shrouded in Catholic imagery—began during with a New Orleans visit. I was drawn to the folk art imagery, even the French Quarter commercialization of what I considered black magic. I wanted to know more about the practice and culture. On my next trip I had a free afternoon so I hired a voodoo priestess for a voodoo tour of the French Quarter. Wow! After an amazing lecture on the Spanish-French-Creole history of New Orleans while strolling through the Quarter, she took me on a back room tour of several voodoo shops. There I saw the sanctuaries and ritual sites that inspired several scenes in WHO DO, VOODOO?

 

My tour culminated at St. Louis Cemetery #1 in front of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the Louisiana Creole voodoo legend, where my priestess guide spat whiskey on the tomb in an honoring ritual. She made me toss nine pennies over my shoulder as we left. Her explanation: restless spirits were bound take the coins to their leader instead of possessing our souls on the way out. Broad daylight. I did it anyway. Following our escape we headed to Café Du Monde for beignets. 

I have Nick’s curiosity about belief systems. I’m also a bit like Liz, the doubter. She likes rational explanations, even when she attends a séance where something scientifically unexplainable occurs. Like Liz, I’ll hold onto my misgivings and spurn signs but there are times…well, take the hairpin incident this morning. 

Lately I’ve been researching superstitions for the third novel in the Mind For Murder Mystery series. This morning I read about the baseball “Lucky Hairpin” superstition in the early/mid-20th century. If a baseball player found a ladies’ hairpin on game day, a win was guaranteed or a hitting streak would continue. Quaint, I thought. Back then, hairpins were everywhere securing buns and holding curls in place. So yester-century’s news.

I went to the gym, forgetting all about baseball players and hairpins. As I set my keys into a cubbyhole, a ray of sunlight flashed on a thin piece of metal at my feet—a woman’s hairpin. The only hairpin I’ve seen in years, maybe decades. Odd enough on a normal day. After just reading about the hairpin superstition? You bet I picked up that hairpin and brought it home…just in case.

Thank you so much for inviting me here today, Mason! 

I’d love to hear which side of the superstition/supernatural debate your readers are on. Real? Ridiculous? Or “I proceed with caution…just in case.”

Rochelle, thanks so much for guest blogging. I’m fascinated by the research you did for WHO DO VOODOO? The book has been a great read and knowing its background makes it that much more mystical.

Now for a bit on Rochelle. She is an award-winning former radio programmer and music industry executive. She’s a delightful writer who would rather talk about her characters than herself. The second installment in her Mind For Murder Mystery series, BRUJA BROUHAHA, is slated for release in the summer of 2012.

For more on Rochelle and her writing, visit her website at www.rochellestaab.com, find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rochelle.staab, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/rochellestaab, and on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4705211.Rochelle_Staab

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to share what side of the superstition/supernatural debate you’re on.