Leave a comment below for your chance to win. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends December 6, 2017. Good luck everyone!
Release: August 15, 2017
Series: Gabriella Giovanni #5
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Gabriella Giovanni has it all. A stunning penthouse in San Francisco. An exciting job on the crime beat. A doting and movie-star handsome husband and a beautiful little girl. So, when she complains about all the travel her husband’s new DEA job requires, she know she has good problems.
But when her husband’s plane goes down in the jungles of Mexico and she is told he is dead, Gabriella thinks things could not possibly get any worse.
She is wrong.
Despite the U.S. government’s attempt to find the wreckage, they come up empty-handed. Gabriella heads to Mexico to trace Donovan’s path to find some answers, and hopefully, some healing.
In the deepest jungles of Mexico, it doesn’t take long for Gabriella to realize she’s in over her head and putting what remains of her life—and everything she loves—at risk.
About the author
Kristi Belcamino is a Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Award-nominated author, a newspaper cops reporter, and an Italian mama who makes a tasty biscotti.
She writes books featuring strong, fierce, and independent women facing unspeakable evil in order to seek justice for those unable to do so themselves.
Her first novel in the Gabriella Giovanni Mystery Series, Blessed Are The Dead, was inspired by her dealings with a serial killer during her life as a Bay Area crime reporter. She is also the co-author of Letters From A Serial Killer, co-written with the mother of the girl kidnapped and killed by the serial killer who inspired Blessed Are The Dead. Her first YA novel, City of Angels (Polis Books) was released May 2017.
Connect with Kristi at kristibelcamino.com and on Facebook.
New Caper Mystery Series Debuts from USA Today bestselling author Connie Shelton
Release: August 14 2017
Series: Heist Ladies #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Secret Staircase Books
A bold museum robbery. A missing million-dollar necklace, a stalled police investigation. For the victim of the crime, the situation calls for desperate measures.
Albuquerque, NM, July 26, 2017 – Penelope Fitzpatrick wasn’t born to wealth. Her grandfather fed the family by selling his small stash of gemstones smuggled from tsarist Russia when the monarchy fell. Now, Pen has done well for herself as a successful novelist living in Scottsdale, Arizona. But when the final jewel in her family legacy becomes the target of a cunning band of thieves, and the priceless piece is stolen from the museum where it was on loan, the police have many excuses why they can’t solve the crime. Not one to accept defeat, Pen does the only thing she can do—gather a group of friends to help catch the crooks and steal back the necklace.
It becomes apparent the thief is a master con man who is likely working with an international theft ring. The chase takes the Ladies far from home and into elegant European enclaves as they attempt to face him down. Close calls and near misses—it’s never quite certain whether the women will be able to pull their own spectacular heist and see justice done.
“The entire Heist Ladies series came to me during a long car trip, where I jotted notes for five books with five female protagonists. Each book will feature one of the women and an crime done against her,” said author Connie Shelton. “For the first story, Diamonds Aren’t Forever, I drew upon two of my interests. I’ve always been fascinated with con men and the ways they work. And I love beautiful jewelry. The chance to develop a plot weaving them together proved irresistible. After studying the methods con men use, I knew I had to pit the man in this story against a woman who would not, as many victims do, hide away from the crime and let him win. Penelope Fitzpatrick had the perfect attitude. All she needed was a team of friends with the necessary skills, and—voila—the Heist Ladies came together.”
Part caper, part heist, this fast-paced story of a team of contemporary women brings a sense of adventure and fun as Penelope, the woman who has lost a very valuable piece of heirloom jewelry, pursues the thief. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Jana DeLeon will love this daring and spunky group of women friends in their first mystery caper, Diamonds Aren’t Forever.
“I write mysteries from many levels,” says Shelton. “Yes, there’s a crime (or two or three) and, yes, my protagonists are out to solve that crime. But I also like to include a look at the people behind the actions, and I want to do it with a touch of humor and often a lot of food! Fans often comment on those aspects of my stories. To my readers, my lead characters feel like friends. Knowing that people relate to my protagonists and the extended cast of characters on such a personal level is what makes this so much fun for me.”
Meet Connie Shelton and her characters from all three of her series at connieshelton.com, and be sure to check out the Food page which includes recipes from New Mexico, Connie’s home state, a sampling of the great dishes which have been featured in her books. Subscribe to Connie’s email newsletter to receive the latest news and have a chance to win prizes each month.
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a digital copy (Kindle or Nook) of Diamonds Aren’t Forever. The giveaway will end August 15, 2017. Good luck everyone!
Meet the author
Connie Shelton is the USA Today bestselling author of two mystery series set in her home state, New Mexico, in addition to the Heist Ladies international series. She read her first non-picture book at age seven and has not stopped reading since. She has been involved with books as an editor, publisher, teacher, bookseller, reader and writer. She has taught writing courses and was a contributor to Chicken Soup For the Writer’s Soul. Many of her previous books have achieved mystery bestseller status on Amazon and Kobo. She and her husband reside in New Mexico with their two dogs. Contact her through her website at connieshelton.com.
All comments are welcomed.
Release: August 2016
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: She Writes Press
Contradictory relationships within troubled families are nothing new, but the award-winning psychological novel written by well-known journalist Diane B. Saxton elevates these relationships and the mysterious heirloom painting that both exposes and unites them to an art form.
Peregrine Island interweaves the stories of three generations of women, one valuable painting, the artist who created it, and those who would do anything to possess it – including kill.
Lush with sensory details, this psychologically complex mystery novel is set on a private island in the middle of Long Island Sound. It begins when the family’s lives are turned upside-down one summer by so-called art experts, who appear on the doorstep of their isolated home to appraise a favorite heirloom painting. When incriminating papers along with two other paintings are discovered behind the painting in question, the appraisal turns into a full-fledged investigation and detectives are called into the case— but not by the family whose members grow increasingly antagonistic toward one another.
During the course of the inquiry and as the summer progresses, the family members discover new secrets about one another and new facts about their past. Above all, they learn that neither people nor paintings can be taken at face value.
Peregrine Island is the recipient of the following awards and honors:
Meet the author
As a journalist for Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, Holiday Magazine, and Greenwich Review, Diane B. Saxton covered everything from torture victims to psychics, animal rights activists, exotic travel, and movie producers. A new chapter opened up for her after interviewing Amnesty International US founder Hannah Grunwald. Alarmed that the stories of incredible and influential lives such as Grunwald’s could be lost as the Greatest Generation passes, Saxton began capturing their histories and compiled them into a 1,000-page biographical collection, which became the inspiration for her next novel. She brings the same gift for storytelling with illuminating subtext to her debut novel, Peregrine Island. Saxton divides her time between New York City and the Berkshires, where she lives with her husband, dogs and horses.
All comments are welcomed.
Amelia Peabody is back for one last hurrah. It’s been seven years since devoted fans of the daring, witty, parasol-toting Englishwoman have followed her adventures across the sands of Egypt.
Release: July 25, 2017
Series: Amelia Peabody #20
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: William Morrow
Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’ bestselling, beloved mystery series.
Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—”Murder”—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: “Judas.” Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.
It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?”—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.
But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.
For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge . . . and perhaps be unmasked at last.
About the authors
Barbara Mertz, aka Elizabeth Peters, began her career with a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago’s 
Oriental Institute. A recognized academic authority on Egyptology, her nonfiction books, including Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt, and Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt, are in print today, thirty years after their publication. After early publishing success, Mertz found that as the Institute’s youngest female graduate at 23, her career options in the field were limited. She turned to writing fiction, using pen names to distinguish that work from her scholarly efforts. As Barbara Michaels, she published 28 thrillers. As Elizabeth Peters, creator of the legendary Amelia Peabody series, she wrote 20 novels, expressing her passions for adventure, archeology, humor, Edwardian England, and the sands of Egypt.
Over the course of her 50-year career, Barbara was the recipient of numerous writing awards, starting with her first Anthony Award for Best Novel in 1989. A cascade of prestigious awards and nominations followed over the years, including grandmaster and lifetime achievement awards from the Mystery Writers of America, Malice Domestic, and Boucheron. In 2012, she was given the first Amelia Peabody Award, created in her honor, at the Malice Domestic convention. She died in 2013, leaving a partially completed manuscript of The Painted Queen.
Joan Hess is the author of the Claire Malloy Mysteries and the Arly Hanks Mysteries, formally known as the Maggody 
Mysteries. She is a winner of the American Mystery Award, the Agatha Award, for which she has been nominated five times, and is a member of Sisters in Crime and a former president of the American Crime Writers League. She has contributed to multiple anthologies and book series, including Crosswinds, Deadly Allies, Malice Domestic, and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. She also writes the Theo Bloomer mystery series under the pseudonym Joan Hadley. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of The Painted Queen. US entries only, please. The giveaway will end July 26, 2017. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
Posted in Showcase, Author
Tagged Elizabeth Peters, historical mystery, Joan Hess, William Morrow
Abigail Logan never expected to inherit a whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands. But in the first novel of an engaging new series blending fine spirits with chilling mystery, Abi finds that there are secrets lurking in the misty glens that some will go to any lengths to protect . . . even murder.
When Abi inherits her uncle’s quaint and storied single malt distillery, she finds herself immersed in a competitive high-stakes business that elicits deep passions and prejudices. An award-winning photojournalist, Abi has no trouble capturing the perfect shot—but making the perfect shot is another matter. When she starts to receive disturbing, anonymous threats, it’s clear that someone wants her out of the picture. But Abi’s never been one to back down from a fight.
Arriving on the scene with her whisky-loving best friend, Patrick, and an oversized wheaten terrier named Liam, Abi seems to put everyone in the bucolic village on edge—especially her dour but disturbingly attractive head distiller. Acts of sabotage and increasingly personal threats against Abi make it clear that she is not welcome. When one of Abi’s new employees is found floating facedown in a vat of whisky, Abi is determined to use her skills as an investigative journalist to identify the cold-blooded killer and dispense a dram of justice before he strikes again. But distilling truth from lies is tricky, especially when everyone seems to have something to hide.
Melinda is giving away three (3) audio copies of SINGLE MALT MURDER. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. The audio book will be sent directly by the author. Contest ends July 3, 2017. Good luck everyone!
About the author
Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children.
Melinda lives just outside of Washington, DC with her whisky-collecting husband, two extraordinary young women she is proud to call her daughters, and an obedience school drop out named Macallen.
All comments are welcomed.
Release: July 1, 2017
Series: Mary McGill #3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Santa Louisa’s Independence Day celebrations lead to a case of cold-blooded murder in the latest highly entertaining Mary McGill dog mystery.
It’s the 4th July and the town celebrations have gone off without a hitch. Except for the body in the oak grove, shot in the back. The unfortunate victim was a visitor to the town. Mary McGill and her cocker spaniel Millie had seen him only that morning, staring in the window of Lowell’s Jewellery store, his German Shepherd, Ranger, at his side. Could the diamond and sapphire necklace which caught his attention have some connection with his untimely death? What brought him to Santa Louisa in the first place?
Having agreed to look after Ranger temporarily, Mary is unwillingly drawn into the murder investigation. She never dreamed that her enquiries would lead her into serious danger . . . and more murder.
About the author
Kathleen Delaney grew up in Glendale, California, and now lives in Georgia with her dog and cat, close to two of her grandchildren, who are more than eager to share their own dogs and cats with her, just in case she gets lonely. She is the author of five mysteries in the Ellen McKenzie series.
Samson O’Brien has been dismissed from the police force―quite unfairly, according to him. Now back in his home town of Bruncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales, Samson sets up the Dales Detective Agency while he fights to clear his name. However, the people of Bruncliffe aren’t entirely welcoming to a man they see as trouble.
Delilah Metcalfe, meanwhile, is struggling to keep her business, the Dales Dating Agency, afloat. When Samson gets his first case, investigating the supposed suicide of a local man, things take an unexpected turn, and soon he discovers a trail of deaths that lead back to the door of Delilah’s agency.
With suspicion hanging over someone they both care for, Delilah and Samson soon realize that they need to work together to solve the mystery of the dating deaths. But working together is easier said than done, and the couple must find a way to kiss and make up before more villagers wind up dead.
Julia Chapman’s Date with Death is the newest installation in the delightful Samson and Delilah Mystery series.
Release: April 2017
Series: Dales Detective #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Meet the author
Julia Chapman is the pseudonym of Julia Stagg, author of the Fogas Chronicles set in the French Pyrenees.
Born in England, Julia has a wanderlust that has kept her moving. She has followed her restless feet to Japan, Australia, the USA and France. She spent the majority of that time as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language but also dabbled in bookselling, pawnbroking and waitressing. She also ran an auberge in the French Pyrenees for six years with her husband.
Having spent many years wandering, she is now glad to call the Yorkshire Dales in the north of England home, its distinctive landscape and way of life providing the setting for her latest series of novels, the Dales Detective.
All comments are welcomed.
Date with Death is available at retail and online booksellers or you can ask your local library to get it for you.
The author of Rest in Peach serves up another bite of Southern charm in the latest Georgia Peach mystery.
Nola Mae Harper is too busy restocking the jars of preserves and chutney flying off the shelves of her shop, Peachy Keen, to keep up with all the gossip about the upcoming mayoral election, but she does know the debate is sure to be a real barn burner.
Local farmer Clem Rogers claims he has a bombshell that could take small business owner Margie Price out of the running. But before Clem can reveal his juicy secret at the debate, his actual barn goes up in flames—with him inside of it. The town casts its vote against Margie, but Nola isn’t convinced the hardworking woman is capable of murder. Now to clear Margie’s name Nola will have to work fast under pressure, before Margie gets taken in by the fuzz. . .
Release: January 2017
Series: Georgia Peach #3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Penguin Random House
About the author
Susan writes the Georgia Peach Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime) and also the Novel Idea Mysteries under the pen name Lucy Arlington. Watch for her new suspense series coming in 2018 from Kensington Books.
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of War and Peach. The giveaway will end February 13, 2017. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
War and Peach is available at retail and online booksellers.
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