Crepe Factor {+ Giveaway}

◊ CREPE FACTOR by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran

◊ Series: A Scrapbooking Mystery, Book 14

◊ Hardcover: 320 pages

◊ Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery

◊ Publisher: Berkley (October 4, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 0425266702

◊ ISBN-13: 978-0425266700

SYNOPSIS:

The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace...
 

The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.

The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.

Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon...

Scrapbooking tips and recipes included! 

The sights, sounds, and smells of New Orleans come alive in the latest installment in the Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran.

The book features a core cast of characters that are well-developed, realistic, and steeped in New Orleans tradition The bonds of friendship among the group enhances the story.

The New Orleans setting is perfect, especially with the festive activities going on. Through rich descriptions and vivid details, readers are placed in the middle of the action.

One doesn’t have to enjoy scrapbooking to appreciate this murder mystery. But there are crafting tips and delicious New Orleans recipes included in the back as an added bonus.

Tension mounts right from the beginning and holds your attention until the very end. There are twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. There’s a good mix of mystery, mayhem, friendship, humor, history, and romance to make this a well-balanced story.

CREPE FACTOR can be read on its own, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to know more background on these intriguing characters. This is a delightful read that will keep you entertained for hours and may just make you want to visit New Orleans (minus the murder, of course).

Crepe Factor by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran, A Scrapbooking Mystery (Book #14), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-0425266700, Hardcover, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author and publisher. 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 CREPE FACTOR by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, Oct. 30.

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. Are you a scrapbooking fan? What about New Orleans, have you been there or want to go there?

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Read to Death {+ Giveaway}

◊ READ TO DEATH by Terrie Farley Moran

◊ Series: Read Em and Eat Mystery (Book 3)

◊ Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

◊ Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery

◊ Publisher: Berkley (July 5, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 0425270300

◊ ISBN-13: 978-0425270301

SYNOPSIS:

          The national bestselling author of Caught Read-Handed revisits Fort Myers Beach, Florida, where the proprietors of a local bookstore café occasionally take a stab at solving murder...
 

At their seaside Read ‘Em and Eat bookstore café, Sassy Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield offer fresh scones, great books, and excellent detective work…

With their book club season wrapping up with The Florida Life of Thomas Edison, Sassy and Bridgy decide to take their group on a day trip to the beautiful Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Hiring driver Oscar Frieland, who’s known for his colorful stories  and love of the café’s Robert Frost fruit tartlets, the bibliophiles set off for a day of sunshine and history.

After a lovely excursion, the club returns to the café for lunch and a book discussion, but the group falls silent after Oscar is found dead in his van. The sheriff’s deputies have some questions of their own for the group, and if the ladies don’t find some answers soon, the next book they read might be from a prison library.

Author Terrie Farley Moran takes readers on a magical trip to south Florida for a bit of sun, sand, fun, history and a murder mystery.

Moran’s protagonists – Sassy Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield – are smart, determined, feisty and lovable. The secondary characters add color and depth to the story. All the characters are well-developed and realistic.

With a bookstore café and Fort Myers (FL) as backdrops, the author places readers in the middle of the action through her rich descriptions and vivid details. Blended with bits of history and humor, the author brings the setting to life.

The story moves at a steady pace and holds your attention from beginning to end (which includes tasty recipes). The third installment in Moran’s Read Em and Eat Mystery series, READ TO DEATH can be read on its own. New readers aren’t left in the dark and returning fans aren’t overloaded with too much repeat information.

A wonderful combination of friendship, colorful history, delicious food, love of books and, of course, a murder mystery makes this a tantalizing read.

Read to Death by Terrie Farley Moran, A Read Em and Eat Mystery (Book #3), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-0425270301, 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 READ TO DEATH by Terrie Farley Moran to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, July 24.

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. Is there an independent bookstore near you that offers fascinating books and a café or does your community have a big brand bookstore with a café?

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Parchment and Old Lace {+ Giveaway}

Visions of New Orleans quickly fill your head when you begin reading PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE, the 13th installment in the Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs.

Childs, with author Terrie Farley Moran, bring New Orleans to life as they keep you in suspense in this latest cozy murder mystery. The rich descriptions of the historic Garden District and other areas places the reader among the characters as the story unfolds.

Scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand and her beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, enjoy a romantic dinner, but have a brief interruption when Isabelle Black stops by their table. After bragging about her upcoming wedding, she leaves.

Minutes later on their way from the restaurant, Carmela and Edgar hear a scream coming from the Lafayette Cemetery. There they discover Isabelle, strangled with a piece of vintage lace, lying across a gravestone.

Carmela is pulled into the search for the killer by Isabelle’s sister, Ellie. A tarot card reader, Ellie works at Juju Voodoo, owned by Carmela’s best friend, Ava Gruiex. Carmela has no choice but to untangle the clues before someone else dies.

The characters are likable, colorful and well-developed. The secondary characters add depth to the story, as well as bits of humor. The bonds of friendship are well defined drawing readers farther into the feel of the story.

The blending of a murder mystery with the daily disruptions of a store owner makes for an entertaining read. Moving at a good pace, the story keeps you marveling at what could happen next mixed with the right amount of tension and suspense.

Readers don’t have to enjoy scrapbooking to be beguiled by this story. In fact, the scrapbooking tips and tasty New Orleans recipes are just an added bonus.

Like a good gumbo, PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE is a mix of all things mystery lovers will relish. 

Author Laura Childs can be found HERE and author Terrie Farley Moran can be found HERE.


Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran, A Scrapbooking Mystery (Book #13), Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425266687, Hardcover, 336 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of 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. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to the lovely Laura, I have not one but two (2) hardcover copies of PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Friday, Oct. 23.

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 two winners will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Parchment and Old Lace Giveaway.” The winners 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 for my review of this mesmerizing mystery. Are you a scrapbook fan? Do you enjoy books that have a New Orleans influence? 

*This post contains affiliate links.

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From Short Stories to Cozy Murder Mysteries {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to welcome author Terrie Farley Moran back to Thoughts in Progress. On this visit Terrie joins us to talk about the debut release of WELL READ, THEN DEAD, the first installment in her new cozy murder mystery series, Read ’Em and Eat.

Terrie stops by to share some background on this delightful new murder mystery. In addition, thanks to Terrie and the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy of WELL READ, THEN DEAD to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details.

As I said earlier, this is the first in a new series. Here’s a brief synopsis (and the book includes a buttermilk pie recipe):

        Nestled in the barrier islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers Beach is home to Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget Mayfield—owners of the bookstore cafe acute;, Read ’Em and Eat. But when they’re not dishing about books or serving up scones, Sassy and Bridgy are keeping tabs on hard-boiled murder.
        Read ’Em and Eat is known for its delicious breakfast and lunch treats, along with quite a colorful clientele. If it’s not Rowena Gustavson loudly debating the merits of the current book club selection, it’s Miss Augusta Maddox lecturing tourists on rumors of sunken treasure among the islands. It’s no wonder Sassy’s favorite is Delia Batson, a regular at the Emily Dickinson table. Augusta’s cousin and best friend Delia is painfully shy—which makes the news of her murder all the more shocking.
        No one is more distraught than Augusta, and Sassy wants to help any way she can. But Augusta doesn’t have time for sympathy. She wants Delia’s killer found—and she’s not taking no for an answer. Now Sassy is on the case, and she’d better act fast before there’s any more trouble in paradise. 

Let’s give a warm welcome to Terrie and find out more about Sassy and Bridgy.

I am so happy to be visiting Thoughts in Progress today and I thank Mason Canyon for the kind invitation.

Readers often say they think of me primarily as a writer of short stories and often nourish short stories at that. In fact I was here visiting Thoughts in Progress about four years ago to talk about the Mystery Writers of America anthology CRIMES BY MOONLIGHT, edited by the magnificent Charlaine Harris. I am still honored that a paranormal story I wrote called “The Awareness” was included in the anthology. I am back again but it may come as a surprise to folks who visit Thoughts in Progress that this time I’m going to talk about my new cozy mystery novel titled WELL READ, THEN DEAD, which was released by Berkley Prime Crime just last week.

You know the old saying: “when life gives you lemons just… move to the beach.” Sassy Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield have been besties their entire lives. They even grew up on the same street in Brooklyn, but when both their lives hit major snags they packed up, headed south to live in the fabulous town of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, an island town on the Gulf of Mexico.

When the girls decide to run their own business, they follow Sassy’s dream of owning a bookstore and Bridgy’s vision of a casual breakfast and lunch café. Meld the two together and you have a bookstore and café called the Read ’Em and Eat. And for the longest time, things went along quite nicely, until their chef, Miguel Guerra, fell in the kitchen and broke his leg.

Bridgy’s Aunt Ophelia, she of the well mannered ladies conventions and mile high heeled shoes, drove down from Pinetta, just south of the Georgia border, to help out with the cooking but before Ophie could get settled in in the kitchen, Cady Stanton, reporter for the Fort Myers Beach News stops by to let Sassy and Bridgy know that one of their favorite book club and breakfast regulars, Miss Delia Batson, has been found dead. Then Sassy discovers that Miss Delia’s cat, a sleek black Maine Coon, named Bow, is missing. While the search is on for Bow, there is another life threatening assault on the island. 


Miss Delia’s cousin, the strong-willed seventy-something Miss Augusta Maddox presses Sassy to help find her cousin Delia’s murderer, and Sassy is inclined to try to assist, so that Miss Augusta knows her friends are standing by her side. 

I know it sounds like a there is a lot of danger and difficulty, but this is Fort Myers Beach, so there is still time for book club meetings, meditation on the beach and kayak trips along the bay. 


So when you get a chance, come visit the Read ’Em and Eat. You might enjoy a glass of sweet tea, a slice of Buttermilk Pie. And the friendly atmosphere will make you feel right at home. 

Terrie, thanks for visiting with us again. Sounds like the Read ‘Em and Eat is the perfect place to visit for a good meal, a great book and a wonderful mystery.

Now for those who aren’t familiar with Terrie, here’s a bit of background on her.

Terrie Farley Moran is the author of WELL READ, THEN DEAD, the first cozy mystery in the Read ’Em and Eat series published by Berkley Prime Crime. She also writes short mystery fiction which has been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and various anthologies, including the Mystery Writers of America anthology Crimes by Moonlight. Her work has been short-listed twice for Best American Mystery Stories. 

For more on Terrie and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Pinterest. You can also find her blogging amid the grand banter of an eclectic group of writers known as the Women of Mystery.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of WELL READ, THEN DEAD. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end Thursday, Aug. 21.

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 Terrie Farley Moran’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 during Terrie’s visit. Don’t you just love the cover of this book? It looks so inviting. Would you like to own a business like the Read ’Em and Eat or at least have a shop like that nearby to visit?

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