The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller by James Patterson and Martin Dugard

A secret buried for centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the pharaoh's hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages--to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

I finished this last night and loved it. I have to be honest, and wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I had even taken it off of my wish list. I, like everyone else I’m sure, would be expecting something along the lines of the Alex Cross or Women’s Murder Club books. And I’m sure the people that were expecting that were disappointed. However, I’m glad I went into it with an open mind because it helped me enjoy the book more. Granted the names of all the Pharoah's were a tad confusing to keep straight, but I learned more about that time in history than I think I ever did in High School. Or maybe this time I was paying more attention? It was a fascinating new way of looking at a very old, and what seemed to be straightforward piece of history. It definitely had me thinking.

The amount of research that went into the retelling of this story was very evident. The authors spent a great deal both in the "field" and online tracing the history of Howard Carter and his quest to find the greatest tomb ever.

And I LOVED how he incorporated the present day chapters – talking about how he had the 24 manuscripts laying around, etc. It was really interesting to see another side of him, the real side of him.

Book Giveaway - Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly - ARC

Nine Dragons (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly

LAPD Detective Harry Bosch is off the chain in the fastest, fiercest, and highest-stakes case of his life.

Fortune Liquors is a small shop in a tough South L.A. neighborhood, a store Bosch has known for years. The murder of John Li, the store's owner, hits Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer.

The world Bosch steps into next is unknown territory. He brings in a detective from the Asian Gang Unit for help with translation--not just of languages but also of the cultural norms and expectations that guided Li's life. He uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad, a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.

And instantly his world explodes. The one good thing in Bosch's life, the person he holds most dear, is taken from him and Bosch travels to Hong Kong in an all-or-nothing bid to regain what he's lost. In a place known as Nine Dragons, as the city's Hungry Ghosts festival burns around him, Bosch puts aside everything he knows and risks everything he has in a desperate bid to outmatch the triad's ferocity.

Release date: October 13th

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 October 9th . Winner will be announced on October 10th.

Book Giveaway ~ A Change in Altitude ~ WINNERS

Congratulations

Jackie Blue
Brenda
Barb

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

Snake in the Glass by Sarah Atwell

Snake in the Glass (A Glassblowing Mystery) by Sarah Atwell

A nervous stranger begs to use Emmeline Dowell's kiln for an experimental gem treatment. It doesn't seem like something to be alarmed about-until a dead body found in the desert turns out to be a close friend of the stranger.

Book GIveaway - Worst Case - WINNER

Congratulations

Ghostga

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 :)

Giveaway - Hank Phillippi Ryan Grab Bag

I've got a fun bunch of stuff this time to giveaway. Not only will the lucky winner be getting autographed copies of Hank's three books (see below), they will also get some lip balms, bookmarks, a copy of RT Book Reviews with Hank on the cover, and a cool tote bag!

THANKS HANK!!! - We now will have TWO of these fantastic grab bags to give away!!

And...... a special black canvas tote bag..embroidered with DEADLINES DESIRE DECEPTION and the Charlotte McNally mysteries.

Prime Time (Charlotte Mcnally) by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~ In the cutthroat world of television journalism, seasoned reporter Charlotte McNally knows that she'd better pull out all the stops or kiss her job goodbye. But it's her life that might be on the line when she learns that an innocent-looking e-mail offer resulted in murder, mayhem and a multimillion-dollar fraud ring.All too soon her investigation leads her straight to Josh Gelston, who is a little too helpful and a lot too handsome. Charlie might have a nose for news, but men are a whole other matter. Now she has to decide whether she can trust Josh…before she ends up as the next lead story.

Face Time (Charlotte Mcnally Mysteries) by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~ Veteran TV reporter Charlotte McNally fights for justice, journalism—and the battle against on-air aging. The good news: she's got explosive evidence to free an innocent woman from prison. The bad news: that makes Charlotte—and someone she loves—the real killer's next target.Charlotte knows she has what it takes to get the story. Unfortunately, the more Charlotte snoops around, the more people turn up dead.

Air Time (Charlotte McNally Mysteries) by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~ When savvy TV reporter Charlotte McNally enters the glamorous world of high fashion, she soon discovers that when the purses are fake—the danger is real. And no one can be trusted! Now Charlotte can't tell the real from the fake as she goes undercover to bring the couture counterfeiters to justice—and in her struggle to answer an all-important, life-changing question from a certain handsome professor…The one thing Charlotte knows for sure is that the wrong choice could be the last decision she ever makes!

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 October 5th. Winner will be announced on October 6th.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. One week ago I was sitting in the same spot I am right now.

2. I never thought I'd work for my dad when I was young.

3. Mama told me "because I said so".

4. Between you and me.......

5. Take your time I'll still be here.

6. This too shall pass!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and hopefully going to see Hank Phillippi Ryan, tomorrow my plans include a hair appointment and a paperback swap meeting and Sunday, I want to do nothing!

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin (ARC)

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin


Roxy Abruzzo, the grandniece of a Pittsburgh Mafia boss, is trying to go straight - so she can focus on her architectural-salvage business that, for the most part, she runs on the up and up. But old habits die hard, and Roxy's sticky fingers set off a chain reaction of murder and mayhem...with Roxy right in the middle.

Release date: March 2, 2010

Book Giveaway - The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson (3 Copies)

The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller by James Patterson and Martin Dugard

A secret buried for centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.

The keys to an unsolved mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the pharaoh's hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The clues point to murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages--to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

A huge thank you to Hatchett books for allowing me to give away 3 copies of this great 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 October 4th. Winner will be announced on October 5th.

Book GIveaway - The Christmas Cookie Club - WINNER

Congratulations

Amy

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 :)

Happy Hour by Michele Scott (coming REAL soon)

Take a tumultuous journey through life with four close friends, each with deep, dark secrets that they strive to keep hidden, but ultimately can’t suppress for long. As the truths of their lives are revealed, the courageous compatriots learn that there truly is no greater power in the universe than the irrevocable bonds of love and understanding.

Click here to check out 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 ~

So how would she feel when she found out she wasn't really married? I had a feeling XXX would be devastated because he took their union very seriously. But XXXX? Would she be relieved once the truth was out?

This teaser comes from Final Exam (A Murder 101 Mystery) by Maggie Barbieri. What's YOUR teaser?

Final Exam by Maggie Barbieri (ARC)

Final Exam (A Murder 101 Mystery) by Maggie Barbieri

St. Thomas, the college north of New York where Alison Bergeron teaches, has had its share of scandals involving its students, staff, and Alison herself, so when a Resident Director goes missing they keep it quiet by tapping Alison as a replacement. A stay in the dorms is like hard time and she will do anything to avoid it. Her way out: Find the reluctant resident and drag him back. Luckily, she doesn’t have to look further than the drugs he’s hidden to get her boyfriend Detective Bobby Crawford on the case.

Alison Bergeron is hoping that she can get through the rest of the school year without becoming involved in another murder case (and hopefully get tenure if she can leave all the "trouble" behind). The Dean will do anything to keep Alison's nose clean. When Wayne, the Resident Director of the boys dorm, goes missing the Dean makes Alison fill the position. Until either Wayne returns or the semester ends. She knows this is going to be a very long 5 weeks and struggles to make the most of it. While her boyfriend, Detective Bobby Crawford helps her move in, an exploding toilet reveals a packet of hidden heroin. Does the packet have anything to do with Wayne and his disappearance? Since Bobby is a homicide detective, he turns over the investigation to narcotics, while at the same time promising Alison he'll do whatever he can - off the record - to help her figure out what is going on.

Alison is bound and determined to find out what happened to Wayne as fast as she can so that she can get out of the dorms and back home where she belongs. While doing some undercover work, she finds that Wayne's mother has an uncanny resemblance to Sister Mary. Are they related? Does Sister Mary have something to do with Wayne's disappearance? And could she possibly be hiding him in the convent??? It appears that Wayne may have been set up with the drugs, until a very large stash of marijuana is found in the floor of his room. Now Alsion understand why all the kids were asking where he was and letting her know how "cool" he is. There is one student who misses Wayne the most, Amanda. Amanda professes to be in love with Wayne, while at the same time being engaged to someone else. Could this be the reason for Wayne's vanishing act???

Meanwhile, Alison has an unwanted house guest. Without giving away any surprising story lines ~ let's just say that Alison has a very small bit inside her that is happy she's having to stay in the dorm. How can she get this person out of her house? And more importantly how can she save the relationship before they kill each other? And will a shocking revelation be the answer to every one's prayers?

This is definitely my favorite book in the series. The action moves along quickly while Alison seems to get herself into one bind after another. While she ever learn? I hope not, because that is what makes her so lovable. The characters are likable and believable, the romance sweet with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing right up until the last 20 pages. And with an ending that will hopefully ring true.


Release date: December 8th.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

We sharewhat books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Here's what I got ~


Sink Trap (A GEORGIANA NEVERALL MYSTERY) by Christy Evans (ARC) ~ Former corporate drone Georgiana Neverall loves her new occupation as a plumber's apprentice, but is a bit surprised when she finds the favorite brooch of Martha Tepper, the town's former librarian, clogging a sink. Georgiana has a sinking feeling that Martha may have been retired permanently-and suddenly it's up to a plumber's apprentice to flush out a killer.

Bookplate Special (A Booktown Mystery) by Lorna Barrett (ARC) ~ Tricia Miles, owner of Haven't Got a Clue mystery books, is still settling into Stoneham, New Hampshire, the kind of town where everybody knows your name - and where everyone's quick to lend a hand...even when murder is afoot. The kinder folks of Stoneham might call Pammy Fredericks a free spirit. The less kind, a freeloading thief. Tricia has put up - and put up with - her uninvited college roommate for weeks. In return, Pammy has stolen one hundred dollars, among other things. But the day she's kicked out, Pammy's found dead in a trash cart, leaving loads of questions unanswered. What was she foraging for? Did her killer want it too? To piece the case together, Tricia will have to dive in headfirst....

Final Exam (A Murder 101 Mystery) by Maggie Barbieri (ARC) ~ St. Thomas, the college north of New York where Alison Bergeron teaches, has had its share of scandals involving its students, staff, and Alison herself, so when a Resident Director goes missing they keep it quiet by tapping Alison as a replacement. A stay in the dorms is like hard time and she will do anything to avoid it. Her way out: Find the reluctant resident and drag him back. Luckily, she doesn’t have to look further than the drugs he’s hidden to get her boyfriend Detective Bobby Crawford on the case.

The Night Monster: A Novel of Suspense by James Swain ~ The shadowy side of the Sunshine State, where blood runs cold even in the tropical heat, is the tantalizing, terrifying territory few know better than James Swain. His razor-sharp tales of criminals, cops, and South Florida—style suspense bite like a hungry gator and never let go. The past has come back to haunt P.I. Jack Carpenter, former head of the Broward County Missing Persons Unit. As a young cop he failed to stop the kidnapping of a college coed by a shockingly large assailant–and neither of them was ever seen again. The abduction has remained Carpenter’s most chilling cold case, and even now the mystery of the missing girl lurks in his darkest dreams. But after eighteen years, it’s about to become terrifying reality once more. When his daughter, Jessie, asks him to bird-dog a camera-toting creep who’s been shadowing her college basketball team, Carpenter’s hot pursuit of the video voyeur leads him smack into another run-in with his old hulking nemesis, who abducts one of Jessie’s teammates. While the Broward County cops are determined to pin the rap on a convenient suspect, Carpenter isn’t about to let grim history repeat itself–especially when he discovers a pattern of unsolved kidnappings involving the same massive perp. With the eager assistance of the kidnap victim’s high-powered tycoon father, the uneasy cooperation of his old unit’s new commander, and precious little time before the trail goes cold, Jack and his trusty dog, Buster, hit the ground running. And they’ll need all the help they can get–including backup from an FBI man with a personal stake in the hunt–as they follow a twisted trail from the ruins of a shuttered mental asylum with an infamous past to the streets of a sinister small town with a ghastly secret.

Cook the Books by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant (Manuscript) ~

While in her second year of social work school, Chloe Carter gets herself in a pickle by overindulging her beloved godson. To pay her bills, Chloe needs a part-time job. Still smarting over the break-up with her boyfriend, Josh, who took a job as a personal chef in Hawaii, Chloe knows that assisting a cookbook writer may stir up painful memories. But the Gourmet Girl is desperate! While compiling a book of recipes from Boston’s top chefs, Chloe must deal with a lot of Josh’s friends, including the loud-mouthed, but lovable, Digger. Still, she stays cool until she arrives at Digger’s apartment only to find the building thoroughly charred—and Digger with it.Chloe knows that Digger was too expert a chef to let a grease fire kill him. His death was murder. Putting her feelings on the back burner, the Gourmet Girl sifts through suspects. But as an executive chef with thorny love life, Digger had enemies by the dozen on his plate. Finding a killer when everyone has a motive is hard enough. Matters will get even stickier if the tragedy brings Josh back to Boston—and back into Chloe’s life.

Dead Man Talking (Pepper Martin Mysteries, No. 5) by Casey Daniels ~ Heiress-turned-cemetery-tour-guide Pepper Martin is not happy to discover that a local reality TV show, Cemetery Survivor, will be filmed at Cleveland's Monroe Street Cemetery-and she has to be a part of it. To make matters worse, the ghost of a wrongly convicted killer needs Pepper's help to clear his name. But digging for the truth could put her in grave danger.

Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel (Friday Night Knitting Club Novels) by Kate Jacobs (ARC) ~ Knit the Season is a loving, moving, laugh-out-loud celebration of special times with friends and family. The story begins a year after the end of Knit Two, with Dakota Walker's trip to spend the Christmas holidays with her Gran in Scotland-accompanied by her father, her grandparents, and her mother's best friend, Catherine. Together, they share a trove of happy memories about Christmases past with Dakota's mom, Georgia Walker-from Georgia's childhood to her blissful time as a doting new mom. From Thanksgiving through Hanukkah and Christmas to New Year's, Knit the Season is a novel about the richness of family bonds and the joys of friendship.

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin (ARC) ~ (desciption to follow)

Knit The Season by Kate Jacobs (ARC)

Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel (Friday Night Knitting Club Novels) by Kate Jacobs

Knit the Season is a loving, moving, laugh-out-loud celebration of special times with friends and family. The story begins a year after the end of Knit Two, with Dakota Walker's trip to spend the Christmas holidays with her Gran in Scotland-accompanied by her father, her grandparents, and her mother's best friend, Catherine. Together, they share a trove of happy memories about Christmases past with Dakota's mom, Georgia Walker-from Georgia's childhood to her blissful time as a doting new mom. From Thanksgiving through Hanukkah and Christmas to New Year's, Knit the Season is a novel about the richness of family bonds and the joys of friendship.

Book Giveaway - A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve (3 Copies)

A Change in Altitude: A Novel by Anita Shreve

Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.

A Change in Altitude illuminates the inner landscape of a couple, the irrevocable impact of tragedy, and the elusive nature of forgiveness. With stunning language and striking emotional intensity, Anita Shreve transports us to the exotic panoramas of Africa and into the core of our most intimate relationships.

A huge thank you to Hatchett books for allowing me to give away 3 copies of this great 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 September 28th . Winner will be announced on September 29th.

Borders Gift Card - WINNERS

Congratulations

Kristie
Doreen

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

The Night Monster by James Swain

The Night Monster: A Novel of Suspense by James Swain

The shadowy side of the Sunshine State, where blood runs cold even in the tropical heat, is the tantalizing, terrifying territory few know better than James Swain. His razor-sharp tales of criminals, cops, and South Florida—style suspense bite like a hungry gator and never let go.

The past has come back to haunt P.I. Jack Carpenter, former head of the Broward County Missing Persons Unit. As a young cop he failed to stop the kidnapping of a college coed by a shockingly large assailant–and neither of them was ever seen again. The abduction has remained Carpenter’s most chilling cold case, and even now the mystery of the missing girl lurks in his darkest dreams. But after eighteen years, it’s about to become terrifying reality once more.

When his daughter, Jessie, asks him to bird-dog a camera-toting creep who’s been shadowing her college basketball team, Carpenter’s hot pursuit of the video voyeur leads him smack into another run-in with his old hulking nemesis, who abducts one of Jessie’s teammates. While the Broward County cops are determined to pin the rap on a convenient suspect, Carpenter isn’t about to let grim history repeat itself–especially when he discovers a pattern of unsolved kidnappings involving the same massive perp.

With the eager assistance of the kidnap victim’s high-powered tycoon father, the uneasy cooperation of his old unit’s new commander, and precious little time before the trail goes cold, Jack and his trusty dog, Buster, hit the ground running. And they’ll need all the help they can get–including backup from an FBI man with a personal stake in the hunt–as they follow a twisted trail from the ruins of a shuttered mental asylum with an infamous past to the streets of a sinister small town with a ghastly secret.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. My car is something I wouldn't have gotten, but thankfully I listened to my dad.

2. More blog contests are coming up next.

3. Lately, things seem to be going my way.

4. My condo is one of my favorite 'hiding' places.

5. What happened to Alicia?

6. Being happy is not impossible!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having dinner with the family for Rosh Hashanah, tomorrow my plans include a pedicure and celebrating the New Year and Sunday, I want to relax and make a dent in the stack of ARC's I have piling up!

Book Giveaway - Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwige - ARC

Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Best case: survival

The son of one of New York's wealthiest families is snatched off the street and held hostage. His parents can't save him, because this kidnapper isn't demanding money. Instead, he quizzes his prisoner on the price others pay for his life of luxury. In this exam, wrong answers are fatal.

Worst case: death

Detective Michael Bennett leads the investigation. With ten kids of his own, he can't begin to understand what could lead someone to target anyone's children. As another student disappears, one powerful family after another uses their leverage and connections to turn the heat up on the mayor, the press--anyone who will listen--to stop this killer. Their reach extends all the way to the FBI, who send their top Abduction Specialist, Agent Emily Parker. Bennett's life--and love life--suddenly get even more complicated.

This case: Detective Michael Bennett is on it

Before Bennett has a chance to protest the FBI's intrusion on his case, the mastermind changes his routine. His plan leads up to the most devastating demonstration yet--one that could bring cataclysmic devastation to every inch of New York.

Release date: February 1, 2010

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 September 27th. Winner will be announced on September 28th.

Book Giveaway ~ Urge to Kill ~ WINNER!!!

Congratulations

Nancy S.

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 :)

Cook The Books by Jessica Conant Park & Susan Conant

Cook the Books by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

If you can’t stand the heat…

While in her second year of social work school, Chloe Carter gets herself in a pickle by overindulging her beloved godson. To pay her bills, Chloe needs a part-time job.

Still smarting over the break-up with her boyfriend, Josh, who took a job as a personal chef in Hawaii, Chloe knows that assisting a cookbook writer may stir up painful memories. But the Gourmet Girl is desperate! While compiling a book of recipes from Boston’s top chefs, Chloe must deal with a lot of Josh’s friends, including the loud-mouthed, but lovable, Digger. Still, she stays cool until she arrives at Digger’s apartment only to find the building thoroughly charred—and Digger with it.

Chloe knows that Digger was too expert a chef to let a grease fire kill him. His death was murder. Putting her feelings on the back burner, the Gourmet Girl sifts through suspects. But as an executive chef with thorny love life, Digger had enemies by the dozen on his plate. Finding a killer when everyone has a motive is hard enough. Matters will get even stickier if the tragedy brings Josh back to Boston—and back into Chloe’s life.

Release date: March 2, 2010

I can't write the amazing review I want because it will give away too much of the book. I will come back and write a proper review before just as the book is being released. But I will say this ~ Cook The Books is the BEST on in the series so far. So make sure you've added it to your wishlist and pre-order it from Amazon. You don't want to miss this one!!!

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.

There's nothing cozier than a winter evening in Greenwich Village. Streetlights shimmer through icy flakes, cafés glow with welcoming warmth, and a layer of snow dusts historic townhouses like powdered sugar on holiday confections. Murder has no place in such a pretty picture, until now...

Coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has grown very fond of Alfred Glockner, the part-time comic and genuinely jolly charity Santa who's been using her Village Blend as a place to warm his mittens. When she finds him brutally gunned down in a nearby alley, a few subtle clues convince her that Alfred's death was something more than the tragic result of a random mugging--the conclusion of the police. With Clare's boyfriend, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn, distracted by a cold case of his own, and ex-husband Matt investigating this year's holiday lingerie catalogs (an annual event), Clare charges ahead solo to solve her beloved Santa's slaying. Then someone tries to ice Clare, and she really gets steamed. But she'd better watch out, because if she fails to stop this stone cold killer, she may just get the biggest chill of her life.

This very special holiday entry in Cleo Coyle's nationally bestselling mystery series includes a bonus section of delicious holiday recipes as well as a glossary of coffeehouse terms, instructions on making espressos and lattes without an expensive machine, and tips for creating tasty coffeehouse syrups at home.

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
  
• ISBN-10: 0425230058 / 9780425230053
  
• Release date: November 3, 2009
• Amazon Price $ 16.29
  

You'll Love Lucy!

October's prize is a 2010 daily planner, a pack of 7 "Expressions of Love" bookmarker pens... AND... an ARC (advanced reading copy) of TRULY, MADLY. You can be one of the first to read Lucy Valentine's first adventure!


The contest will run from today, September 14th, until October 31st. The winner, chosen randomly from the entries received, will be notified, via email, on November 1st. To enter ~

Just send an email to contest@heatherwebber.com with your name and email address* (both required).

Optional: If you'd like to receive a postcard in the snail mail notifying you when she a new release also include your home address in the email.

*Emails will be added to her online newsletter.

I’m a big believer in why not. As in, why not try to write a book about the black sheep of a psychic matchmaking family who can't quite find her place in the world until a little boy is lost, a woman is murdered, and she reunites a pair of long lost lovers.

And I’m glad I did. I’m loving every minute of writing the Lucy Valentine novels. The first book in the series, Truly, Madly: A Lucy Valentine Novel is due out February 2010 and the second book, Deeply, Desperately: A Lucy Valentine Novel not long after. For a sneak peek of Truly, Madly, click here to read the first chapter.

Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett (ARC)

Bookplate Special (A Booktown Mystery) by Lorna Barrett


Tricia Miles, owner of Haven't Got a Clue mystery books, is still settling into Stoneham, New Hampshire, the kind of town where everybody knows your name - and where everyone's quick to lend a hand...even when murder is afoot.

The kinder folks of Stoneham might call Pammy Fredericks a free spirit. The less kind, a freeloading thief. Tricia has put up - and put up with - her uninvited college roommate for weeks. In return, Pammy has stolen one hundred dollars, among other things. But the day she's kicked out, Pammy's found dead in a trash cart, leaving loads of questions unanswered. What was she foraging for? Did her killer want it too? To piece the case together, Tricia will have to dive in headfirst....

Release date ~ November 3rd.

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 ~

Baker wasn't amused. "I'm serious, Ms. Miles. Whoever thinks you have ******* is likely to come after it - and you. Next time he or she won't use a BB or pellet gun."

This teaser comes from Bookplate Special (A Booktown Mystery) by Lorna Barrett. What's YOUR teaser?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

We sharewhat books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Here's what I got ~

Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (ARC) ~ Best case: survival The son of one of New York's wealthiest families is snatched off the street and held hostage. His parents can't save him, because this kidnapper isn't demanding money. Instead, he quizzes his prisoner on the price others pay for his life of luxury. In this exam, wrong answers are fatal. Worst case: death Detective Michael Bennett leads the investigation. With ten kids of his own, he can't begin to understand what could lead someone to target anyone's children. As another student disappears, one powerful family after another uses their leverage and connections to turn the heat up on the mayor, the press--anyone who will listen--to stop this killer. Their reach extends all the way to the FBI, who send their top Abduction Specialist, A gent Emily Parker. Bennett's life--and love life--suddenly get even more complicated. This case: Detective Michael Bennett is on it Before Bennett has a chance to protest the FBI's intrusion on his case, the mastermind changes his routine. His plan leads up to the most devastating demonstration yet--one that could bring cataclysmic devastation to every inch of New York. From the shocking first page to the last exhilarating scene, Worst Case is a non-stop thriller from "America's #1 storyteller" Release date ~ Feb 1, 2010.

Air Time (Charlotte McNally Mysteries) by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~ When savvy TV reporter Charlotte McNally enters the glamorous world of high fashion, she soon discovers that when the purses are fake—the danger is real. And no one can be trusted! Now Charlotte can't tell the real from the fake as she goes undercover to bring the couture counterfeiters to justice—and in her struggle to answer an all-important, life-changing question from a certain handsome professor… The one thing Charlotte knows for sure is that the wrong choice could be the last decision she ever makes!

Dying Scream by Mary Burton (ARC) ~ An aspiring artist. A high-school senior. A stripper. Three missing women with only one thing in common - wealthy Craig Thornton knew them all. For that, they paid the ultimate price. When Craig's widow, Adrianna, begins to receive cards and flowers from her late husband, she assumes it's someone's cruel joke. The grisly remains are found on the Thornton estate. Detective Gage Hudson believes the bodies are linked to Craig. But the biggest shocks are yet to come. A psychopath has resumed his work, each death a prelude to his most cherished target. The only way to stop him is to uncover a family's dark past - and a twisted love someone will kill for, again and again..... Release date ~ December 1st.

Ghost a la Mode: A Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery (A Granny Apples Mystery) by Sue Ann Jaffarian ~ Granny was famous for her award-winning apple pies-and notorious for murdering her husband Jacob at their homestead in Julian, California. The only trouble is, Granny was framed, then murdered. For more than one hundred years, Granny's spirit has been searching for someone to help her see that justice is served—and she hits pay dirt when she pops in to a séance attended by her great-great-great-granddaughter, modern-day divorced mom Emma Whitecastle. Together, Emma and Granny Apples solve mysteries of the past—starting with Granny's own unjust murder rap in the final days of the California Gold Rush. Along with a sprinkling of history, this spirited new mystery series features the amateur sleuth team of Emma Whitecastle and the spirit of her pie-baking great-great-great-grandmother, Granny Apples.

Happy Hour by Michele Scott ~ The weekdays may be for real life, but Sundays are for friendship, good food, and great wine. Meet the women of Napa... Kat is a sommelier and co-owner of a restaurant with her chef husband Christian. Although deeply in love, their relationship is facing a series of challenges, including ex-spouses, teenage children, and a surprise visitor who turns Kat's life upside down... Danielle is a vinter who finds herself entrenched in a family crisis when her daughter returns home from college with bombshell news... Jamie is a single mother and editor-in-chief at Wine Lover's Magazine. Her husband's death a few years prior has left her in financial ruins and having to care for a senile but endearing mother-in-law... Alyssa is an artist and gallery owner. When a tragic event from her past catches up with her, she must face the skeleton in her closet and rearrange her future. With each woman's life in transition, they'll rely on tight friendships more than ever to get through the difficult times. While surrounding each other with love, support, humor, and strength, the four women will pull together each week for their own happy hour. But will friendship be enough to get each woman through her crisis? And what about the secrets that are being kept....? Email me on how to get your own copy of this book. And make sure to check back for a giveaway!!