Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay

Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay is the third book in the “Cupcake Bakery” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin), October 2011

Melanie and Angie are determined to win the Challenge to the Chef to promote their Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. Mel’s mentor from culinary school, Vic Mazzotta, may be one of the judges, but Mel and Angie will have to win fair and square. But, when Vic’s dead body is found inside a freezer truck, Mel and Angie will need to use their best judgment to find the cold-blooded killer or they may lose more than the contest—they may lose their lives.

Mel and Angie is representing their business in a cooking challenge when Mel’s mentor is found dead in a freezer. When the clues point to something sinister and others are harmed, the tag-team of Mel and Angie are on the case to defrost a killer. This is such a fun series where the preparation of cupcakes is included in the telling of the story. The plot is enticing; the tone is easy flowing and I love the trio’s banter with their family and friends. This was the best book yet in this delectably entertaining and amusing series and I can’t wait for one romance to find their true course.

Elvis and the Tropical Double Trouble by Peggy Webb

Elvis and the Tropical Double Trouble by Peggy Webb is the fourth book in the “Southern Cousins” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, October 2011

It’s two times the turmoil for mayhem magnet Callie, her curvaceous cousin Lovie, and Elvis, the King reincarnated as nothin’ but a hound dog. This time they’re finding a lot more than relics on an archeological dig that could truly be their ruin.

Forced to choose between one man who wants to marry her and another who already did, Callie Valentine Jones can’t think of a better way to check out of her personal Heartbreak Hotel then to get way, way out of town. So when Lovie invites the whole Valentine clan to visit her brainy new beau’s worksite near Cozumel, Callie packs up her crooning basset hound and heads straight for the airport.

But the moment they arrive at the dig, Elvis sniffs out T-R-O-U-B-L-E, in the form of a skeleton too fresh to be part of the research and too dead to spell anything but homicide. Suspicious minds blame ghosts and gods, but Callie knows the guilty party is all too human—and for once, she’s determined not to get involved.

That determination goes right out the window when Lovie and Elvis go missing. It’s now or never, if Callie wants to save her cousin and her canine from someone who’s got murder always on his mind. And when her sexy ex arrives to save the day, she’ll have to keep her head together, because her love won’t wait—but neither will a killer with something deadly to hide.

There is never a dull moment when hanging out with the Valentine family. A trip to Cozumel, multiple kidnappings and murder will not deter the Valentine family from rescuing their own. Oh, the fun I had reading this story as Callie, with hilarious assistance from Ruby Nell and Fayrene, is determined to find her missing relatives while trying to corral her own love life. This was a fun-filled, fast-paced and humorous romp through the life that is Callie Valentine. The ending left me with a smile and I can’t wait to read the next book in this fabulous and entertaining series.

Frozen Stiff by Annelise Ryan

Frozen Stiff by Annelise Ryan is the third book in the “Mattie Winston” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, September 2011

Death is never pretty, but Mattie’s latest victim is strikingly beautiful . . . or at least she was before someone stuck that knife into her chest. When detective Steven Hurley arrives on scene, he takes one look at the body, turns as white as the newly fallen snow, and excuses himself from the case. Turns out the victim was a top investigative reporter from Chicago, and Hurley not only knew her, they dated a year and a half ago until she broke it off. Hurley swears Mattie to secrecy and then tells her . . . that knife in his ex’s chest is his!

It’s a case with more twists than Mattie’s own crazy love life, and it’ll take all of her forensic skills to unravel the increasingly bizarre clues and find the killer before she herself becomes just another cold case!

Mattie is at it again as she entertains us with her escapades as she helps Hurley prove that he is not responsible for the sudden crime wave hitting Sorenson. This mystery was non-stop action from the first page to the excellent conclusion when Mattie’s birth name was revealed and that was pure deliciousness and well worth the wait. Mattie’s vulnerability makes her a great character to love and root for as she tries to solve this puzzle. This was a terrific read and I can’t wait for the next adventures with Mattie and the gang in this enjoyable and amusing series.

Annelise Ryan is the pseudonym of Beth Amos.

Vigilante by Stephen J. Cannell

Vigilante by Stephen J. Cannell is the 11th and final book in the “Shane Scully” thriller series. Pubisher: St. Martin’s Press, December 2011

In the last novel by acclaimed producer and New York Times bestselling author Stephen J. Cannell, LAPD detective Shane Scully and his partner Sumner Hitchens investigate a crime with ties to the sometimes violent world of reality tv.

Lita Mendez was a thorn in the LAPD’s side. An aggressive police critic and gang activist, she’d filed countless complaints against the department. So when she’s found dead in her home, Detective Scully and his partner Hitchens fear the worst: that there’s a killer in their ranks.

Outside the crime scene, Nixon Nash and his television crew have set up shop. Nash is the charismatic host of a hit reality show called “Vigilante TV,” dedicated to beating the cops at their own game: solving murders before they can. Now he has the murder of Lita Mendez in his sights. He presents the detectives with a choice: either join his team, or prepare for a public takedown.

But Scully knows that Nash isn’t the folk-hero he seems. He will do anything in the name of self-promotion. If a detective got in his way, would he be prepared to kill? In this new novel, Scully will have to risk everything to save himself and the job he loves.

The murder of an outspoken advocate against the police brings a reality-TV star to the scene who proclaims that he’ll solve this case, alluding to police corruption. Shane suspects something else is going on and will have to derail the star’s rise to the stop. What a rollercoaster ride! From the first page to the exciting conclusion, I knew I would not be able to put this book down. I was pulled right into the non-stop, fast-fury action of Shane and his team as they investigated a murder mystery with plenty of viable suspects. The villain is clever, but so is our hero who is determined to put an end to his shenanigans once and for all, even if it means sidestepping legality. This is another great book in this engaging and thrilling series and I’ll forever miss seeing Shane Scully and the team again.

Swift Edge by Laura DiSilverio

Swift Edge by Laura DiSilverio is the second book in the “Charlotte *Charlie* Swift” mystery series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, October 2011

When world-class figure skater Dmitri Fane goes missing, his partner knows just whom to hire. It’s up to Swift Investigations to find the missing Fane, and fast—the Olympics are just weeks away. It should be no trouble for the investigative team of Charlie Swift and Gigi Goldman: Their chief obstacle is Gigi’s teenage daughter, Kendall, and her mad crush on Fane. That is, until the skating team’s coach is brutally attacked and a colleague of Dmitri is killed, and things start to get complicated.

Gigi’s corralling a lovesick Kendall and dying to test out the hilarious techniques from her surveillance class. Charlie’s dodging bullets and fending off Detective Connor Montgomery’s advances. Their client is suddenly MIA. Can Charlie and Gigi solve two missing-persons cases and a murder at once, or will the culprit get off skate-free?

Fast-paced adventure, high-stakes intrigue, and the madcap capers of these unlikely partners-in-crime solving make Swift Edge a delightful and welcome addition to the series.

Charlie is back and this time she’s on the hunt for a missing figure skater. Charlie realizes there’s more to this disappearance and when things turn more violent, it will be up to Charlie and Gigi to figure out how all the pieces fit together. The time spent with Charlie Swift is well worth every page turned. She’s funny, she’s brash and she’s good at her job. With Gigi as partner, there’s never a dull moment as they work through this missing person case. I love the characters and I look forward to their next adventures in the enjoyable and cleverly crafted series.

The Gingerbread Bump-Off by Livia J. Washburn

The Gingerbread Bump-Off by Livia J. Washburn is the sixth book in the “Fresh-Baked” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian (Penguin), November 2011

When her friend Georgia Hallerbee asks Phyllis to have her house featured in the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour of Homes, Phyllis is equally flattered and flustered. She already has a bridal shower on Christmas Eve and a wedding on New Year’s Eve to prepare for, and she’s been baking gingerbread cookies as if they’re going out of style. But like her tasty treats, she rises to the occasion.

Before the tour can even get under way, Phyllis hears a crash on her front porch and makes a gruesome discovery. Someone has broken a decorative gingerbread man over Georgia’s head. Santa’s naughty list just got longer—and with the police baffled, it’s up to Phyllis to catch a half-baked killer.

Phyllis once again gets involved in a murder investigation when the victim is found on her doorstep; this despite all the other things on her calendar. This was a good mystery that had plenty of suspects that kept me guessing and was a bit surprised when the killer was revealed.

Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson

Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson is the 18th book in the “Alex Cross” thriller series. Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, November 2011

The Only Way
Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene of the biggest case he’s ever been part of. The president’s son and daughter have been abducted from their school—an impossible crime, but somehow the kidnapper has done it. Alex does everything he can but is shunted to the fringes of the investigation. Someone powerful doesn’t want him too close.

To Stop Alex Cross
A deadly contagion in the DC water supply endangers the capital, and Alex sees the looming threat of the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. He is already working flat out on the abduction, and this massive assault pushes him completely over the edge.

Is To Kill Him
With each hour that passes, the changes of finding the children alive diminish. In an emotional private meeting, the First Lady asks Alex to please save her kids. Even the highest security clearance doesn’t get him any closer to the kidnapper—and Alex makes a desperate decisions that goes again everything he believes. A full-throttle thriller with unstoppable action, unrestrained emotion, and relentless suspense, Kill Alex Cross is the most gripping Alex Cross novel James Patterson has ever written.

Turmoil in the nation’s capital when the president’s children are kidnapped and someone is messing with their water supply, but never fear, Alex Cross is on the case in this fast-paced, non-stop action thriller that had me quickly turning the pages as fast as I could read. Giving up a night’s sleep is the course when reading a book filled with suspense that I had to know what happens next and NOW. This was a great read and I look forward to more stories featuring Alex Cross.

Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck

Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck is the 5th book in the “Donut Shop” mystery series. Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, August 2011

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart sees customers come and go all day long. But when one of them up-and-disappears, the police start asking questions. It seems Suzanne is the last person to have seen Emily Hargraves, who runs the local newsstand. Suzanne has nothing to report about their encounter. But when Emily doesn’t turn up, no news is bad news.

Suzanne has to admit that Emily’s last request was a little odd—a blueberry donut made to order, with chocolate icing, sprinkles, stars, and a chewy sour gummy worm coiled on top. Odder still: Suzanne’s ex-husband Max also appears to be missing. But what really takes the cake? The corpse Suzanne finds hanging from a tree in the park. Who knew donut-making could turn out to be such dangerous business.

When Suzanne’s friend asks her to find the person responsible for her “uncle’s death, Suzanne begins her investigations with the likely suspects and as soon as she feels the heat from the killer, the quicker Suzanne will have to douse their ardor. This was a good story and I like that Suzanne is more confident in her skill as an amateur sleuth as she works with the authorities. The action was non-stop as Suzanne gathered all the clues necessary to identify the killer. I enjoyed the camaraderie among the characters and the mystery kept me guessing in this charming and entertaining series.

A Day In The Life Of Maggy Thorsen by Sandra Balzo

I started my day with a big lug in my bed and fully intend to end it with a hot, steamy shower.

It’s not as romantic as it sounds.

My name is Maggy Thorsen, and I’m co-owner of Uncommon Grounds, a coffeehouse in the upscale community of Brookhills, Wisconsin, just outside Milwaukee. My partner is . . . well, to be honest, my partners have changed on occasion. The first of those occasions being when one partner was found dead in a pool of skim milk in front of the espresso machine the morning of our grand opening.

Sadly, it’s gone downhill from there.

In addition to being a coffeehouse owner, I’m a proud divorced mother of a son away at school. That’s where the lug comes in. No, not some hunky assignation, though I do confess to a relationship with County Sheriff Jake Pavlik. Pavlik–of the buttery leather jacket, dark curly hair and eyes that change from robin’s egg blue to nearly black, depending on mood–is no lug.

But right now the male in my bed is named Frank, and he’s of the four-legged variety. A sheepdog that even my son Eric couldn’t manage to secrete in a dorm room. Frank is 110 pounds of hair, snot and drool and–depending on the day and what the sheepdog has consumed in the course of it–can be my best friend and confidante or a furry pain in the butt.

Frank and I live in a small house that’s literally up the creek. Poplar Creek runs the length of Brookhills, forming the western boundary of our chi-chi little town. Living downstream in Brookhills is fashionable, upstream is un¬fashionable. And the farther down or up, the more fashion¬able or unfashionable you get. Got it?

Down, good.

Up, bad.

I am bad.

In fact, the only thing badder, or farther upstream from me in Brookhills, is Christ Christian Church, which I think gets special dispensation from God.

But divorce has its privileges, too, and in my case, they include blue stucco walls in the living room, a lime green toilet in the bathroom, and a sheepdog on my hearth.

But back to my day:

Since the strip mall where Uncommon Grounds originally was located is gone (looong story, to be found in book #4, Brewed, Crude and Tattooed), Sarah Kingston (partner #3, even longer story) and I have relocated the business to the historic train depot that serves as the western end of a commuter rail system to downtown Milwaukee.

Business is booming, so we’ve brought on a couple of employees: Barista Amy Caprese, tattooed, rainbow-haired, multiply-pierced environmentalist, and Chef Tien Romano, refreshingly normal human being.

The coffeehouse opens at six a.m., but there are beans to be ground and coffee to be brewed well before that. Hiring Amy and Tien has allowed me to sleep in occasionally, and Sarah to maintain her real estate business.

Kingston Realty has suffered lately, partly from the down-turn in housing prices, but mostly from Sarah’s inattentiveness and a complaint filed against her by a trainee. If that weren’t bad enough, three other area brokers were killed last week and it’s to the point that Sarah is carrying a gun in her handbag. If you knew my manic-depressive, imperfectly medicated partner you’d realize that’s not a good idea.

But enough–I’m exhausted. Time for that shower, the hot water raising — and razing — the scents of the day. While coffee smells great brewing, it has a way of seeping into every pore, hair follicle and stitch of clothing.

Add to it this morning’s contribution: A stench coming from under the depot’s loading platform, where the mob . . .

Well, like I said: It’s not as romantic as it sounds.

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To find out just what’s gotten under Maggy’s skin, check out Sandra Balzo’s newest release, TRIPLE SHOT, the seventh book in the Maggy Thorsen Mysteries. Or, better yet, start with UNCOMMON GROUNDS (available now in ebook)–and get in on the “Grounds” floor!

Sandra Balzo is an award-winning author of crime fiction, including eight books in two different mystery series–one set in the High Country of North Carolina and the other outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. TRIPLE SHOT, the seventh Maggy Thorsen Wisconsin coffeehouse mystery, was just released, and DEAD ENDS, the second North Carolina novel, will be out in 2012. Balzo’s books have garnered starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist, while being recommended to readers of Janet Evanovich, Charlaine Harris, Harlan Coben, Joan Hess and Margaret Maron. A recent member of the National Board of Directors for the Mystery Writers of America, Sandy now splits her time between South Florida and North Carolina.

Books are available at retail and online booksellers.

A Day In The Life Of Lady Arianna, Countess of Saybrook by Andrea Penrose

A blade of mid-morning light cutting through the velvet draperies finally rouses me from sleep. Normally, I am not an indolent soul, but rise quite early, and after a simple breakfast of hot chocolate and toast, get to work on my various projects. But dancing until dawn—not to speak of drinking fine champagne and Tokay wine—does take its toll, and so when a glance at the clock on the mantel shows it to be nearly noon, I cannot pretend to be surprised.

I rise and throw on a silk wrapper before padding to the kitchen of our rented quarters near the Minoritenplatz in Vienna. My lady’s maid is knows to let me fix my own repast—among the many unorthodox skills that I’ve honed over the years is a talent for cooking. (Society has very strict rules on what a titled lady can and can’t do. But I’ve never been very good suffering fools gladly. I am fortunate that my husband, the Earl of Saybrook, is equally eccentric.)

Today I decide on making an omelette aux champignons for both of us. I need not only to fortify myself for a grueling afternoon and evening, but also to get myself in the mood for French cuisine. It is not that I am obsessed with food—I am actually quite slender—however, it so happens that in a few hours I will be heading to the Kaunitz Palace to cross cooking spoons with the most celebrated chef in all of Europe. Antoine Careme is, as you know, serving as personal cook to the French Foreign Minister, Charles Maurice Talleyrand, who is here in this fabled city to attend the Congress of Vienna, a glittering gathering of Royals and diplomats who are looking to reorder up Europe now that Napoleon has been banished to the isle of Elba.

Now what, you may be asking, has cooking and chocolate to do with pomp and pageantry of world politics? In a word—treason. England knows that a traitor is cooking up a deadly conspiracy to assassinate one of the world leaders and so my husband and I have been sent here to Austria on a secret mission to uncover the plot. So while Saybrook works to decoded a series of cryptic dispatches that we’ve intercepted, I am to spy on the French delegation. I have been hired to assist Careme several nights a week (I play that role dressed as man, for theatrical skills are also part of my repertoire) and today I am scheduled to appear in the kitchens at 4 pm.

It is now 2 pm, so I must begin to dress. Paint and padding take some time to do right. Plus I must lay out my ballgown and jewels, for at midnight, I must make a quick change and appear as the Countess of Saybrook at the Russian Tsar’s private soiree. Alexander loves to party (I am sure that you, too, have heard the rumors that he sent to St. Petersburg for a whole new wardrobe because he had gained so much weight eating and drinking here.) I shall have to stay sharp to avoid his roving hands, for he like women as much as he likes wine. But luckily I have a lot of practice in dodging gasping men.

Then it is on to the Duchess of Sagan’s salon, where Prince Metternich, the Austrian Foreign Minister, may come to blows with the lady’s current swain. (Did I mention that the leaders have come here to make love as well as make peace?) I vow, it is quite exhausting trying to keep track of all the amorous affairs as well as the political alliances. It calls for great stamina . . . which is why I always have a stash of my chocolate confections tucked away in reserve. They have proved useful on a number of occasions.

With luck, I will dance home sometime close to dawn. And I hope to be several steps closer to unmasking our cunning enemy. For if Saybrook and I don’t move quickly enough, all hopes for peace in Europe may go up in smoke . . .

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You can read more about Lady Arianna in THE COCOA CONSPIRACY, the second book in the “Lady Arianna” Regency Mystery series. The first book in the series is SWEET REVENGE.

Andrea Penrose made her debut into the world of historical mystery this spring with Sweet Revenge, the first book in a Regency-set series featuring two unconventional aristocrats as amateur sleuths. She also writes historical romance under the pen name Cara Elliott. A graduate of Yale, she has an MFA in Graphic Design from the Yale Art School, and resides in Connecticut. You can learn more about Andrea and her books at her website: www.andreapenrose.com. She also blogs with The Word Wenches: www.wordwenches.typepad.com

** Thanks to the author, I have one (1) copy of THE COCOA CONSPIRACY to give away. Contest open to residents of the US only. Contest ends December 24th. Leave a valid-email address with your comment. Book will be shipped directly from the author. **

Books are available at retail and online booksellers.