Friday, July 31, 2009

July Books Read

  • Bundle of Trouble by Diana Orgain
  • Dixie Divas by Virginia Brown
  • Fingerprints and Facelifts by Rick Copp
  • Four Wives by Wendy Walker
  • A Toast To Murder by Michele Scott (manuscript)
  • Miss Zukas in Death's Shadow by Jo Dereske
  • New Tricks by David Rosenfelt
  • Purses and Poison by Dorothy Howell
  • The Burying Place by Brian Freeman
  • The Cheater by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
  • The Cutting by James Hayman
  • The Midnight Room by Ed Gorman
  • The Missing Ink by Karen Olsen
  • Whack 'N' Roll by Gail Oust

Friday Fill-Ins


And...here we go!

1. It's time to get the work started for month end.

2. The couch; it's not a bad place for napping.

3. I must be crazy.

4. True friendships are the best thing I have ever known.

5. My home is simply my comfort zone.

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was hmm....not sure.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and hopefully finishing my book, tomorrow my plans include waxing, pedicure, food shopping, taking Sadie to the groomer and babysitting my niece. and Sunday, I want to do nothing!

Thursday, July 30, 2009


The Burying Place by Brian Freeman

One cold night. Two shocking mysteries.

In a quiet town in Minnesota, a baby vanishes from an opulent lakeside home. Was she abducted - or does her father have a terrible secret to hide?

That same night, a young policewoman gets lost in the fog and stumbles into the middle of a horrific crime. Now a sadistic killer wants her to play his deadly game.

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride and his team need to move fast to save the child and stop a killing spree. Stride knows that every snow-covered field may be the next burying place.

Each twist in the investigation takes Stride further into an elaborate web of deceit. With everything at risk and time running out, Stride worries how far a desperate mother will go to rescue her baby - and how far a desperate cop will go to save herself.

Release date March 30, 2010

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Book Giveaway - Dying For Mercy by Mary Jane Clark


Dying for Mercy: A Novel of Suspense by Mary Jane Clark ~

When death shatters the serenity of the exclusive moneyed enclave of Tuxedo Park, New York, Eliza Blake, cohost of the country's premier morning television show KEY to America, is on the scene. While attending a lavish gala at her friends' newly renovated estate, Pentimento, Eliza's host is found dead—a grotesque suicide that is the first act in a macabre and intricately conceived plan to expose the sins of the past involving some of the town's most revered citizens.

Determined to find out the truth, Eliza and her KEY News colleagues—producer Annabelle Murphy, cameraman B.J. D'Elia, and psychiatrist Margo Gonzalez—discover that Pentimento holds the key. Nestled in the park's sprawling architectural masterpieces, picturesque gardeners' cottages, and lush, rolling landscape, the glorious mansion is actually a giant "puzzle house," filled with ingenious clues hidden in its fireplaces, fountains, and frescoes that lead them from one suspicious locale to another—and, one by one, to the victims of a fiendish killer.

As Pentimento gives up its secrets, it becomes clear that no amount of wealth or privilege will keep the residents of Tuxedo Park safe. But just when Eliza unearths one final surprise, she comes face-to-face with a murderer who believes that some puzzles should never be solved.





Thank you to the wonderful people at wiredset.com for allowing me to give away 2 copies of this book!

Here's how to enter ~

  • U.S. addresses only please
  • Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
  • Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
  • Rate my blog (on left sidebar)~ get an extra entry
  • Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
  • Tweet about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest open through August 10th. Winners will be announced on August 11th.


Book Giveaway - New Tricks by David Rosenfelt


New Tricks by David Rosenfelt ~ In Rosenfelt's excellent seventh legal thriller to feature Paterson, N.J., defense attorney Andy Carpenter (after Play Dead), Andy takes on another canine client—Waggy, a Bernese mountain puppy, who's somehow connected to the murder of Walter Timmerman, a semi-titan in the pharmaceutical industry. Andy represents the dog in a custody battle between Diana, Walter's widow, and her stepson, Steven, who's a suspect in his father's shooting. Shortly after Andy picks up Waggy from Diana, she dies in a bomb explosion at her house. When Steven's arrested for Diana's murder, Andy agrees to represent him. After Andy's police chief girlfriend, Laurie Collins, who's visiting from Wisconsin, is shot and wounded while playing with Waggy and Tara, Andy's golden retriever, Andy realizes Waggy was the real target. Rosenfelt injects this clever installment with courtroom twists, a peek into some scary DNA research and a romantic surprise.

Thanks to Hatchett books, I've got 3, yes 3 copies of this fantastic book to give away :)

Here's how to enter ~

  • U.S. addresses only please
  • Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
  • Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
  • Rate my blog (on left sidebar)~ get an extra entry
  • Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
  • Tweet about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest open through August 6th. Winners will be announced on August 7th..

Book GIveaway - To Tempt The Wolf by Terry Spear - WINNER

Congratulations

Valorie

I've sent her an email requesting her address. If I don't hear back from her in 48 hrs, I'll choose another winner. Thank you to those that have entered :)

Food Fiction Contest

The new Food Fiction Newsletter is out and it's FANTABULOUS! Jessica & Michelle did a great job this month! Make sure to check their sites so that you can sign up! You don't want to miss another month! Jessica & Michele.


And now for this months AWESOME giveaways ~

This month Joanna Campbell Slan is giving away a signed copy of Cut, Crop, & Die and Hank Phillippi Ryan is giving away a signed copy of Prime Time, a CSI t-shirt, one of Charlie McNally's favorite cookbooks, The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman, and an assortment of glam lip gloss! All to one lucky winner! In addition, Hank will send out signed copies of Prime Time to THREE bonus winners! To enter, tell us about your favorite dinner from the grill or send us your best grilling recipe!

To enter: Send us an E-MAIL ( foodfiction AT gmail DOT com) by August 1st with the subject line JULY CONTEST and tell us about your favorite dinner from the grill. As usual, the grand prize winner will be chosen at random, but we'll have some bonus winners for recipe entries, tales from the BBQ, etc. ...


RULES: One entry per person and U.S. mailing addresses only, please. Please include your mailing address so we can send you your prize! You will be signed up for guest authors' newsletters and the the Food Fiction newsletter, if not already. (You can always opt out later!) By entering the contest, you give us permission to post your first name, last initial, and state if you are a winner. We may also post your recipe in our newsletter or the Food Fiction site (crediting you, of course!) if you are a winner.

Contest ends August 1st.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Mailbox Monday


Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Here's what I got ~

The Cutting by James Hayman ~ When a missing 16-year-old is found with her nude body showing signs of torture and her heart removed with surgical precision while she was still alive, the violence of the crime has Portland, Maine, detective sergeant Mike McCabe recalling his days with the NYPD. The case takes on greater urgency with the abduction of another women and the discovery of other similar victims, all young, blond, and athletic. While local cardiac surgeon Philip Spencer assures McCabe that such hearts would not be viable transplant organs, the doctor’s lying and arrogance make him a prime suspect. As McCabe and partner Maggie Savage work tirelessly on the case, a French medical assistant and a former Miami reporter provide breakthrough information, and Spencer’s close friends from medical school come under scrutiny. First-novelist Hayman ratchets up the tension in this engrossing account of a deviously motivated psychopathic serial killer; if some aspects of the crimes strain credulity, it hardly matters, given the thrill of the ride

Whack 'N' Roll: A Bunco Babes Mystery by Gail Oust ~ (ARC) When not rolling the bones, they like to throw themselves into a juicy mystery. But murder can be a dicey business .... The sixty-ish set at Serenity Cove Estates in South Carolina certainly knows how to keep active. When not playing Bunco or putting the greens, they are gossiping—and partying. So it’s no surprise that when Kate McCall and her fellow Bunco Babes come across a dismembered arm during a golf game, rumors—and excitement—follow, The Bunco Babes decide to roll out their own investigation. But some of the suspects are right in their very own manicured backyards. And there’s no forfeiting the game if the wrong roll of the dice sends the killer their way...

A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (For Review) ~ The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. With the murderer on the loose, the police desperately look for any clues to lead to his identy. Meanwhile, a psychiatrist in a nearby hospital is also in a desperate search to find the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope. When these two situations converge, they set off an alarming chain of events. In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

In Their Blood: A Novel by Sharon Potts ~(For Review) Born into a life of privilege, Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom, loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe. But this free-spirited drifter crashes back to brutal reality when his parents, Rachel and Daniel Stroeb, are murdered in their home on Miami Beach.When he returns to Miami, Jeremy assumes guardianship of his teenage sister, Elise, who is traumatized and convinced the killer will be back for her.With steely, urgent resolve, Jeremy vows to find out what really happened to Rachel Stroeb, the respected CPA and Daniel Stroeb, the controversial professor.Determined to get on the inside of his parents' lives, Jeremy takes a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked, and enrolls at the university where his father taught.But too many details don't add up. With mounting certainty that his parents were anything but the people he thought they were, Jeremy must face the toughest questions of all. Who were Rachel and Daniel Stroeb? And when will the killer be back for the next of kin?


Curing the Blues with a New Pair of Shoes by Dixie Cash ~ Elvis has left the building . . . and his shoes have followed suit!No holiday in tiny Salt Lick, Texas, is more revered than January 8th—Elvis's birthday! To commemorate the grand occasion, Hogg's Drive-In—where the King enjoyed many a burger on the road to fame and fortune—is displaying an “actual” pair of Elvis's blue suede shoes. That is, until some heel without a soul swipes them right out of their display case. Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin—the shoe-loving Domestic Equalizers—are shocked that someone would perpetrate such a dastardly crime. So the plucky detecting duo agrees to help the town's inept sheriff track down the royal blue loafers. And being majestic multitaskers, the ladies might even be able to squeeze in some matchmaking as well. Mix-ups, mayhem, the threat of gunplay, and shocking octogenarian secrets revealed—it's all in a day's work for the Domestic Equalizers, the two best friends whose motto is: Don't get mad . . . get evidence!

Rose House (La Rosaleda Series #2) by Tina Ann Forkner (Blog Tour)~ A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms. She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet. What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day. A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo ~ (Blog Tour) The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man. As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love: A Novel by Beth Pattillo (Blog Tour) ~ Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status. As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennesee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other.

Chosen To Die by Lisa Jackson (ARC) ~ Detective Regan Pescoli has worked the -Star Crossed Killer- case for months, never imagining she'd be captured by the madman she's been hunting. Regan knows exactly what he's capable of--and avoiding the same fate will take every drop of her courage and cunning. Regan Pescoli is unlike any woman Nate Santana has met before. But now she's missing, and Nate knows something is dangerously wrong. The only person who can help him find her is Detective Selena Alvarez, Regan's partner. As Nate and Selena dig deeper into the Star-Crossed Killer case and the body count rises, the truth about Regan's disappearance becomes chillingly clear. In the desolate Montana woods, evil is lurking. And with time running out, the only way to save Regan will be to get inside a killer's twisted mind and unravel a shocking message that is being revealed, one body at a time. . .

Bundle of Trouble (A Maternal Instincts Mystery) by Diana Orgain ~ In Orgain's charming debut thriller, office manager Kate Connolly becomes a supersleuth and a new mom in the same week. From the moment she and newborn Laurie lock eyes, Kate can't imagine returning to work after her six-week maternity leave, but in expensive San Francisco, she and her ad exec husband, Jim, need every bit of both incomes. Then a dead body is fished out of the bay and linked to Jim's estranged brother, George. Both the police and PI Albert Galigani, hired by the dead man's mother, believe that Jim and Kate know more than they're revealing. Kate is determined to find the elusive George and get some answers, but she soon gets in over her head. Galigani serves as a charming mentor as Kate navigates the twists of motherhood and an uncomplicated but engaging plot

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Bundle of Trouble by Diana Orgain


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In Orgain's charming debut thriller, office manager Kate Connolly becomes a supersleuth and a new mom in the same week. From the moment she and newborn Laurie lock eyes, Kate can't imagine returning to work after her six-week maternity leave, but in expensive San Francisco, she and her ad exec husband, Jim, need every bit of both incomes. Then a dead body is fished out of the bay and linked to Jim's estranged brother, George. Both the police and PI Albert Galigani, hired by the dead man's mother, believe that Jim and Kate know more than they're revealing. Kate is determined to find the elusive George and get some answers, but she soon gets in over her head. Galigani serves as a charming mentor as Kate navigates the twists of motherhood and an uncomplicated but engaging plot (From Amazon)

Check back for my review

Book Giveaway - Drawn in Blood by Andrea Kane (ARC)


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Former FBI Special Agent Sloane Burbank has seen her share of danger. She's faced down a serial killer and survived life-threatening injuries . . . but she never expected that danger to invade the lives of her family. . . .

Then her mother is viciously attacked in the posh Manhattan apartment her parents share and it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary robbery. The thieves were too clever, too knowledgeable, and so obviously after something of her father's. But what could a respected art dealer have done to merit such violence? When a mysterious message is left for him, Sloane knows her father's in over his head. Determined to find out the truth, Sloane discovers a deadly secret buried in his past that has made him the target of a power-hungry mobster with a lethal agenda and nothing to lose.

Sloane is desperate to save her father, but to do so she must hold on to secrets of her own—especially from FBI Special Agent Derek Parker, the man she has grown to love deeply. She knows she must tell him everything, but how can she betray her father's confidence? Can a couple who's faced so much survive this ultimate test of trust? Will they survive at all?

As the decades-old secret claims the lives of her father's oldest friends and the killer closes in on him, Sloane finds herself in foreign territory: alone, facing escalating personal danger, and hunting a moving target in a world where memories are long and loyalties are drawn in blood.

Here's how to enter ~

  • U.S. addresses only please
  • Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
  • Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
  • Rate my blog (on left sidebar)~ get an extra entry
  • Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
  • Tweet about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest open through August 4th. The winner will be announced on August 5th.

Your Home Library - WINNER!

Congratulations

ESJRO

I've sent her an email requesting her address. If I don't hear back from her in 48 hrs, I'll choose another winner. Thank you to those that have entered :)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Guest Post ~ Nancy Thayer

Nancy ThayerNancy Thayer is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Hot Flash Club, The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again, Hot Flash Holidays, The Hot Flash Club Chills Out, and Moon Shell Beach. She is also the author of a new June release, Summer House. She is the mother of Samantha Wilde, whose debut novel, This Little Mommy Stayed Home, comes out on June 23. Nancy lives on Nantucket. You can visit her website at www.nancythayer.com.

Summer HouseAt thirty, Charlotte Wheelwright remains the dreamer she’s always been. But when she begins an organic garden on a portion of her grandmother’s land, Charlotte learns to plant her feet in solid ground and begins to build a new life.

More often than not, ninety-year-old Nona Wheelwright contentedly spends her time reminiscing about days gone by. But with her family’s annual reunion and financial meeting looming, Nona must give up her days of quiet solitude to soothe her easily riled up family.

For decades Charlotte’s mother, Helen, who married into the illustrious Wheelwright family, has been pressured to adhere to their way of life. But when, during the course of the family’s annual summer retreat, she discovers her husband’s betrayal, Helen wonders if she sacrificed her dreams for the wrong reasons.

Artfully written and set on the glorious island of Nantucket, Nancy Thayer’s Summer House is a vibrant and stirring novel about family, love, and daily choices that affect entire lives.

New York Times calls it, “a Nantucket family-reunion story…well-wrought, appealing book will come as a pleasant surprise…packed with literally down-to-earth charm, what with a central character who escapes her family of starchy bankers by lovingly tending her vegetable garden.”

Friday Fill-Ins



1. Not getting married and having kids is not the end of the world.

2. Sitting here, listening to the sound of rain falling, I am sick of it.

3. Everything on my "can't eat" list tastes so good!

4. Sometimes, putting others first is what I do.

5. A sunset on the beach is breathtaking, really.

6. Well, maybe there is some sunshine in our forecast today.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing, tomorrow my plans include relaxing, reading, napping and maybe babysitting my niece and Sunday, I want to do the same thing I did on Saturday!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Whack 'N' Roll by Gail Oust


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The Bunco Babes are not your average retires ...

When not rolling the bones, they like to throw themselves into a juicy mystery.

But murder can be a dicey business ....

The sixty-ish set at Serenity Cove Estates in South Carolina certainly knows how to keep active. When not playing Bunco or putting the greens, they are gossiping—and partying. So it’s no surprise that when Kate McCall and her fellow Bunco Babes come across a dismembered arm during a golf game, rumors—and excitement—follow.

The Bunco Babes decide to roll out their own investigation. But some of the suspects are right in their very own manicured backyards. And there’s no forfeiting the game if the wrong roll of the dice sends the killer their way... (From Amazon)

Release date: August 4th

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Teaser Tuesday



It’s that time of week again, everyone, and time for the Tuesday Teaser.Again the reminder of what this is all about. We are asked to:
  1. Grab your current read.
  2. Let the book fall open to a random page.
  3. Share two teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
  4. Share the title of the book that the “teaser” comes from, so people can find the book if they like the teaser.
  5. And again remember – avoid spoilers.
Here's mine ~

Kelly/Elise had wanted her devotion tat to say "Matthew". Her fiance's name was Chip, or Bruce. Who was Matthew????

This teaser comes from
The Missing Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E. Olson. What's YOUR teaser?

Book GIveaway - To Tempt The Wolf by Terry Spear ARC

To Tempt the Wolf by Terry Spear ~

In this third in the series, wildlife photographer Tessa Anderson must prove her brother innocent of murder charges. But when she discovers a gorgeous naked man barely alive on her beach, she's got a new world of troubles to deal with, not least of which is how he affects her with just a look, a touch, or a whispered word.

Hunter Greymore is a lupus garou, a grey werewolf. Hoping to keep a low profile at Tessa's cabin on the coast, he's drawn into her life—and into her bed. His animal instincts war with his human half, but in the end, the only thing he can do about this fascinating, adorable woman is to leave her forever —unless she becomes one of them.

Release date September 1st

Here's how to enter ~

  • U.S. addresses only please
  • Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
  • Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
  • Rate my blog (on left sidebar)~ get an extra entry
  • Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest open through July 28th. Winner will be announced on July 29th.



Book Giveaway - The Perfect Couple by Brenda Novak - WINNER

Congratulations

Val (lastnerve)

I've sent her an email requesting her address. If I don't hear back from her in 48 hrs, I'll choose another winner. Thank you to those that have entered :)

Monday, July 20, 2009

The Missing Ink by Karen Olson


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The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop in contemporary Las Vegas, and its owner, artist turned tattooist Brett Kavanaugh, are central to this pleasantly jargon-free themed mystery from Olson (the Annie Seymour mysteries). When a woman requests a devotion tattoo from Brett and then vanishes, her disappearance is quickly linked to a series of murders involving tattooing equipment and rival shop Murder Ink. Brett's police detective brother, Tim, requests her expertise, and a murder at an engagingly excessive fictional hotel leads to Brett meeting its mysteriously handsome manager, Simon Chase, providing a solid base for further sleuthing and romance. Readers need not be conversant with street flash or other industry terms to enjoy the setting and follow Brett down a trail of needles and gloves to the dramatic finale (from Amazon)

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Even More Upcoming Releases

I found some more books that will be coming out at the beginning of next year

  • A Stich In Time by Betty Hechtman
  • Sleeping with Anemone: A Flower Shop Mystery by Kate Collins
  • Motherhood is Murder: A Maternal Instincts Mystery by Diana Orgain
  • French Polished Murder: A Daring Finds Mystery by Elise Hyatt
  • Death Threads: A Southern Sewing Mystery by Elizabeth Lynn Casey
  • Hell Gate by Lisa Fairstein
  • A Witch in Time: A Bewitching Mystery by Madelyn Alt
  • Farm Fresh Murder: A Farmers Market Mystery by Paige Shelton
  • Cut To The Corpse: A Decoupage Mystery by Lucy Lawrence

Miss Zukas in Death's Shadow by Jo Dereske


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With an audit going on at Bellehaven's Public Library, it couldn't be a worse time for librarian Helma Zukas to be serving a sentence of fifty hours of community service. But Miss Zukas stubbornly refused to pay what she thought to be an unjust traffic fine and now she's doing time at the Promise Mission for Homeless Men--ladling soup and clearing tables for a motley group of ungrateful down-and-outers. When Helma discovers there's a rash of thefts going on at the mission, she's appalled. Add to that, the unannounced visit of a high school flame who intends to win her hand, and Helma's ready to run to the auditors for relief.

But none of that can compare to the shock when, during the first night of her service, a body is found just outside the mission's back door. Suddenly in the wake of a heartless homicide, Helma becomes one of the suspects, and her fifty hours of service are looming like a life sentance. Fortunately for the otherwise law-abiding librarian, her gaudy, bawdy good friend Ruth is close at hand to help her solve the case...before she ends up doing hard time in a much worse place than the mission house.

Knowing she did not violate the rules of the road, Helma Zukas refuses to pay the fine given to her for "running" a stop sign. So instead she will serve 50 hrs of community service at the Promise Mission for Homeless Men, serving meals to the homeless and helping organize the donations that the mission has received. Unfortunately this coincides with an audit at the library where she works, some petty thefts at the mission, the return of an old boyfriend - and oh yeah, a murder!

When a homeless man confesses to the murder, Helma does't buy it. Granted she saw him at the murder scene, but the facts just doesn't add up. And while Helma may have disliked the victim, it won't deter her from trying to figure out just what happened. Especially since someone is doing their best to make it appear as if Helma is the one who committed the murder.

In her quiet, yet firm manner, Helma goes about looking for answers. As always, her trusted friend Ruth is there to help, providing the reader with comic relief along the way. Helma manages to sort through and dismiss suspects in her own quick, yet efficient style. As the others in this series, this book was a brisk and entertaining read with Helma figuring out who the murderer was in the nick of time.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week


Announcing the Second Annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week September 14-18, 2009

Last year over 400 blogs came together to celebrate the art of book blogging during the first ever Book Blogger Appreciation Week! I am so pleased to announce that the second annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week will be taking place September 14-18.

WHO Anyone who blogs about books is invited to participate. In fact, we want everyone who blogs about books and reading to be a part of this week!
WHAT A week where we come together, celebrate the contribution and hard work of book bloggers in promoting a culture of literacy, connecting readers to books and authors, and recogonizing the best among us with the Second Annual BBAW Awards. There will be special guest posts, daily blogging themes, and giveaways.
WHEN September 14-18, 2009
WHERE Here at the new Book Blogger Appreciation Week Blog! (Please note that this year there are three separate blogs and feeds—one for the main event, one for giveaways, and one for awards.)
WHY Because books matter. In a world full of options, the people talking about books pour hard work, time, energy, and money into creating a community around the written word. I, Amy, the founder of Book Blogger Appreciation Week love this community of bloggers and want to shower my appreciation on you!


WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
Please help us spread the word about Book Blogger Appreciation Week by posting about it on your blog, stumbling this post, twittering about it, and telling everyone you know that it’s time to have a party and celebrate book bloggers!

Please register by filling out the registration form! Registering ensures your inclusion in the BBAW 09 Database of Book Bloggers and enters you into the drawing for the BBAW 09 Grand Prize!

Come back often as there will be many updates! And follow us on Twitter!

AWARDS
BBAW Award Nominations open July 15th on the BBAW Awards Blog.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Friday Fill-Ins


And...here we go!

1. A phone call for take-out makes a quick and easy dinner.

2. The Cutting by James Hayman is the book I'm reading right now.

3. July brings back memories of watermelon and strawberries.

4. My annoyance was obvious.

5. They say if you tell your dreams they won't come true.

6. Make sure to take the time to think it over.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having dinner with my cousin, tomorrow my plans include taking my cousin to the airport, reading and relaxing and Sunday, I want to hopefully have lunch with an old friend, read and relax!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I'm going to do things a little differently this week. I just found a plethora of upcoming books to add to my PBS WL ~ and I can't wait for each and everyone one of them ~ so I've decided to post the whole fun list here. These are all coming out sometime between Dec & April.

  • Cook the Books by Susan Conant & Jessica Conant-Park
  • A Toast to Murder by Michele Scott (Best book in the series so far!)
  • Caught by Harlan Coben
  • Money to Burn by James Grippando
  • The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark
  • The Proof is in the Pudding by Melinda Wells
  • Stirring Up Strife by Jennifer Stanley
  • Shattered by Karen Robards
  • Til Dice to Us Part: A Bunco Babes Mystery by Gail Oust
  • Murder on the Eightfold Patch: A Mantra for Murder Mystery by Diana Killian
  • Murder of a Wedding Belle: A Scumble River Mystery by Denise Swanson
  • Monster in Miniature: A Miniature Mystery by Margaret Grace
  • Get Lucky by Katherine Center
  • Pretty in Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen Olson
  • The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding
  • From Cradle to Grave by Patricia MacDonald
  • The Bone Chamber by Robin Burcell
  • 212: A Novel by Alafair Burke
  • Deception: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
  • Death at the Alma Mater: A ST. Just Mystery by G.M. Malliet
  • The Night Killer by Beverly Connor
  • Dusted to Death by Barbara Colley
  • Ghost Sudoku: A Sudoku Mystery by Kaye Morgan
  • The Diva Paints the Town: A Domestic Diva Mystery by Krista Davis
  • Eggsecutive Orders: A White House Chef Mystery by Julie Hyzy
  • Dead Air: A Talk Radio Mystery by Mary Kennedy
  • Town in a Blueberry Jam: A Candy Holliday Mystery by B.B. Haywood
  • If Books Could Kill: A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle
  • How to Host a Killer Party: A Party Planning Mystery by Penny Warner
  • Plaster & Poison: A Do-It-Yourself Mystery by Jennie Bentley
  • Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
  • Sprinkle with Murder: A Cupcake Mystery by Jenn McKinlay
  • Red Delicious Death: An Orchard Mystery by Sheila Connolly
  • House Rules by Jodi Picoult
  • Live to Tell by Wendy Corsi Staub

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Cutting by James Hayman


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When a missing 16-year-old is found with her nude body showing signs of torture and her heart removed with surgical precision while she was still alive, the violence of the crime has Portland, Maine, detective sergeant Mike McCabe recalling his days with the NYPD. The case takes on greater urgency with the abduction of another women and the discovery of other similar victims, all young, blond, and athletic. While local cardiac surgeon Philip Spencer assures McCabe that such hearts would not be viable transplant organs, the doctor’s lying and arrogance make him a prime suspect. As McCabe and partner Maggie Savage work tirelessly on the case, a French medical assistant and a former Miami reporter provide breakthrough information, and Spencer’s close friends from medical school come under scrutiny. First-novelist Hayman ratchets up the tension in this engrossing account of a deviously motivated psychopathic serial killer; if some aspects of the crimes strain credulity, it hardly matters, given the thrill of the ride (From Amazon)

Check back for my review

Teaser Tuesday


It’s that time of week again, everyone, and time for the Tuesday Teaser.Again the reminder of what this is all about. We are asked to:
  1. Grab your current read.
  2. Let the book fall open to a random page.
  3. Share two teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
  4. Share the title of the book that the “teaser” comes from, so people can find the book if they like the teaser.
  5. And again remember – avoid spoilers.
Here's mine ~

He had no words for the feeling that shook his body as he gazed upon the rabbit's beating heart and held it for an instant in his hand before the beating stopped and the creature died. He only knew that it was something he wanted to experience again and again.

This teaser comes from
The Cutting by James Hayman. What's YOUR teaser?

Monday, July 13, 2009

Mailbox Monday


Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Here's what I got ~

Something Hidden, Stories by Elaine Margolis (For Review)~ Something Hidden is a diverse collection, with many subjects, settings and ideas. Two for One, examines a love deeply felt but unspoken until too late with a horse race at the finish. Intangibles, in which construction of a house addition becomes a hostile, possibly lethal event. Ynez at the Roller Dome Disco, a story of growing up, a small frightened boy and a giant woman. The Fritz and Keri Show, with a mysterious artist couple and a gallery owner whose two-man show for the couple leads to an unexpected denouement. The Dragon Box, in which an elderly traveler finds her past in a Bangkok curio shop. A Biker's Requiem, a story of regret, rebellion, and ultimately resignation. The Exchange-a woman realizes too late not to wish for something impossible after the wish is granted. Vibes, a story of loneliness, connections and chance encounters. Denizens, passion and betrayal on Melrose Avenue. The Charm, where spiders spin webs around the life of a girl who waits. Something Hidden, a mime in the Paris street, a kind stranger and a frightening revelation. The Crystal Café, a little girl dreams of her father, and witnesses a horrible crime. The Other Side of the Wave, a story of discontent, a hint of myth and a wave that washes over everything.

Fingerprints and Facelifts (L.A. Dolls Mysteries) by Rick Copp ~ Full of retro-fab fun, this smokin' first in a new series from Copp (The Actor's Guide to Greed) introduces the L.A. Dolls, three gutsy (and still very hot) retired female PIs. For seven years in the '80s, the Dolls made Charlie's Angels look like mere pussycats. Their lives have taken divergent paths since: tough Dani Mendez is now San Francisco's assistant chief of police; sweet Claire Walker-Corley is a happy suburban wife and mom; and glamorous Tess Monahan-Cardoza is a wealthy widow. Then drug kingpin Benito Coronel is released from prison; Claire's son, Zak, is attacked after a bachelor party; Dani's PI son, Bowie, barely escapes a bullet during a routine investigation; and Tess's stepdaughter, Bianca, is almost kidnapped. The L.A. Dolls must set aside their differences and reunite to protect their kids and put Coronel back behind bars. Copp's thrill-a-minute pacing, vibrant style and likable characters make an unbeatable team.

Secondhand Spirits: A Witchcraft Mystery by Juliet Blackwell ~ Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her “witchiness” in San Francisco. It’s there that she opens her vintage clothing shop, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically. Just when things seem normal, a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that some bad phantoms are behind it. Can she keep her identity secret, or will her witchy ways be forced out of the closet as she attempts to stop the phantom?

Burn: A Novel by Linda Howard ~ It’s true what they say: Money changes everything. And in Linda Howard’s red-hot novel Burn, the changes come fast, furious, and filled with the kind of sexy suspense, heart-stopping romance, beautiful people, and risky business guaranteed to give you the most bang for your buck. Money certainly changes Jenner Redwine’s life when she wins a lottery jackpot. But it also costs her plenty: Her father rips her off and disappears, her fortune-hunting boyfriend soon becomes her ex, and friends-turned-freeloaders give her the cold shoulder when she stops paying for everything. Flush with new money, Jenner can’t imagine ever finding a place in the world of the wealthy. Seven years later, though, she’s rubbing elbows with the rich, despite the fact she still feels like a party crasher. Luckily she finds an ally–and a guide to the rarefied realm of privilege–in shy, kind-hearted heiress Sydney Hazlett, who quickly becomes Jenner’s confidante and surrogate sister. When Sydney invites Jenner on a charity cruise aboard a luxury liner, Jenner reluctantly agrees. But while she’s expecting–and dreading–two weeks of masquerade balls, art auctions, and preening glitterati, what she gets is more like a Hitchcock movie than a Love Boat episode. Taken hostage by a menacing stranger, Jenner must cooperate in a mysterious cloak-and-dagger scheme–or else. With nowhere to run, and with Sydney’s life as well as her own at risk, Jenner is drawn into a game of dizzying intrigue and harrowing danger. But as her panic gives way to exhilaration, and fear of her captor turns to fascination, Jenner rediscovers feelings she hasn’t had in years–and realizes she’s found a life worth living. If she survives.

Person of Interest by Theresa Schwegel ~ Cops, criminals and neglected families collide with disastrous results in Edgar-winner Schwegel's intense third novel (after 2006's Probable Cause). Chicago PD detective Craig McHugh is deep into an undercover investigation of a deadly batch of heroin allegedly being peddled by the Fuxi Spiders, a powerful Chinese gang. Hoping to gain their trust, Craig burns through his department allowance and his own funds playing at a Fuxi card game. Meanwhile, Craig's sullen teenage daughter, Ivy, is dragged home from a party by his police colleagues after being caught with ecstasy. Unaware of her husband's undercover assignment, Craig's wife, Leslie, is convinced he's having an affair, and she soon begins flirting with Ivy's handsome jazz-playing boyfriend. As Craig's work life spills into his personal one, his family must come together to stay alive. The well-placed action scenes are brutal enough to resonate, but the violence is never gratuitous. This pitch-perfect portrait of a family in crisis reinforces Schwegel's position as one of today's top authors of hard-boiled police procedurals.

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder: A Novel by Rebecca Wells ~ Wells (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood) weaves more of the magic that made her a bestseller. At first, Calla Lily Ponder appears to be just like any other young woman growing up in the small town of La Luna, La., where life is simple and Calla Lily is supported by a loving, tightly knit family and a colorful cast of locals. But after a series of hometown heartbreaks, Calla Lily sets out for New Orleans to attend a prestigious beauty academy with dreams of one day opening her own salon. Calla Lily soon learns that while the Big Easy offers a fresh start, adventures and exhilarating new friends, it also presents its own set of tragedies and setbacks. The novel is chock-full of Southern charm and sassy wisdom, and despite its sugary sweetness, it benefits from a hearty dose of Wells's trademark charisma. Calla Lily's story may not be as involved or satisfying as that of the Ya-Yas, but she's sure to be a crowd-pleaser thanks to her humble aspirations, ever hopeful heart and perseverance no matter what fate throws at her.

Where There's a Witch (Bewitching Mysteries, No. 5) by Madelyn Alt ~ Taking a break from her job at Enchantments, Stony Mill’s finest mystical antique shop, Maggie O’Neill visits a carnival where she senses some bad spirits. And when a construction worker is suspected of killing a young woman, it’s up to Maggie and the N.I.G.H.T.S. ghosthunting team to uncover the dark spiritual energy leaking into their town before it spoils everyone’s fun.

Rotten to the Core (An Orchard Mystery) by Sheila Connolly ~ Orchard owner Meg Corey must clear her name of murder after the discovery of a pesticide-poisoned body in her springhouse. Includes recipes.

The Missing Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E. Olson ~ The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop in contemporary Las Vegas, and its owner, artist turned tattooist Brett Kavanaugh, are central to this pleasantly jargon-free themed mystery from Olson (the Annie Seymour mysteries). When a woman requests a devotion tattoo from Brett and then vanishes, her disappearance is quickly linked to a series of murders involving tattooing equipment and rival shop Murder Ink. Brett's police detective brother, Tim, requests her expertise, and a murder at an engagingly excessive fictional hotel leads to Brett meeting its mysteriously handsome manager, Simon Chase, providing a solid base for further sleuthing and romance. Readers need not be conversant with street flash or other industry terms to enjoy the setting and follow Brett down a trail of needles and gloves to the dramatic finale.

Book Giveaway - The Perfect Couple by Brenda Novak - ARC


The Perfect Couple (Last Stand) by Brenda Novak ~ One afternoon in May, Zoe Duncan's thirteen-year-old daughter goes missing from her own backyard. The police think Samantha ran away because she's unhappy about her mother's upcoming marriage—but Zoe doesn't believe it. In fact, she's willing to do anything to bring Sam home, even if it means losing her job, her beautiful home, her fiancĂ©. Even if it means divulging all her secrets to a private investigator.Jonathan Stivers is a P.I. who donates his time to The Last Stand, a victims' charity in Sacramento. He's good at what he does, the best. But never has he had fewer leads to work with—or been more attracted to a client. Jonathan's sure of only one thing: Sam was taken by someone close to the family. He doesn't know how close until he realizes that the "perfect" couple next door is anything but…. Release date: August 1st.

Here's how to enter ~

  • U.S. addresses only please
  • Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
  • Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
  • Rate my blog (on left sidebar)~ get an extra entry
  • Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest open through July 20th. Winner will be announced on July 21st.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Four Wives by Wendy Walker


Four Wives by Wendy Walker ~ A klatch of wealthy suburban women become deeply entangled in one another's lives while planning a public health clinic benefit in Walker's uninspired first novel. Housewife Janie is having a heated affair she can't give up; lawyer Marie is trying to balance her law practice, family obligations and loafing husband when a hot summer intern arrives; heiress Gayle has turned to pills to numb her to the treatment of her abusive husband; and Love, a doctor's wife, receives a letter from her estranged father that dredges up a painful past. As the women's personal struggles invade their other, pedestrian pursuits, Love's struggle with the demands of motherhood and family forces Marie, Janie and Gayle to get more involved in the lives of their friends and neighbors. (From Amazon)
Check back for my review