Babs BookMark Issue 4 by Babs BookMark

BABS BOOKMARK EXPLORING THE WORLD May 2018 • Issue 4 • Volume 1

CLEO COYLE

KRIS LAUBSCHER

CAROLA DUNN

GIVEAWAYS

LAURA HODGES POOLE

AVON & ARIA

BERKLEY

Contents Cover Author 3 Cleo Coyle

Romance 19 Laura Hodges Poole

Giveaway 17 Duffy Brown

Publisher News Avon Aria 29 Berkley Crime

22 Kris Laubscher Cozy Mystery 33 Carola Dunn

Reviews 25 Romance 37 Cozy Mystery 43 Fantasy & YA

Disclosure Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, we may receive compensation. This compensation comes at no additional cost to you, and as always we only recommend products we trust!

Babs Desk Welcome to spring! Amber and I hope each of you are having a nice time. As you may have noticed we had to change the name of the magazine. We are now and will stay Babs BookMark. The Bistro was already being used and we did not want to get into trouble. We think this is a better fit for what we have in mind. We will be adding some new things to the magazine not only for authors and readers but for business as well. If it can help the industry it will be in this magazine. Many of you know that I love helping people as much as I can. The magazine is one way of making that happen. To start off, we will have a Gaming and Audio book section. I would like to have a help desk so be sure to send in your questions we will get them answered. It can be tips, and about anything. If there is something you would like to see in the magazine, please feel free to reach out to us.

ON THE COVER

SHOT IN THE DARK ByÂ Cleo Coyle

As Village Blend manager Clare Cosi fixes a date for her wedding, everyone else seems to be making dates through smartphone swipes. Clare has mixed feelings about these match-ups happening in her coffeehouse. But business is booming, and Clare works hard to keep the espresso shots flowing. Then one night, another kind of shot leaves a dead body for her to find. The corpse is an entrepreneur and heartbreaker who used dating apps with reckless abandon. The NYPD quickly arrests one of the deceasedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent conquests. But Clare has doubts, fearing the real killer will strike again. Now Clare is "swiping" through suspects in her own shop--with the help of her globetrotting ex-husband, a man who's spent his life hunting for coffee and women. Genre: cozy mystery Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

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BBM: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, Alice and Marc? We’re a married couple who write bestselling murder mysteries while trying not to kill each other. BBM: Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write? Marc: One summer, between 7th and 8th grade, I picked up Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Adventurer and settled into a hammock. By the time I reached the last page and realized I was in my back yard and not Howard’s “Hyborian Age,” I knew I wanted to be a writer. Alice: I can’t recall a time when I didn’t want to tell stories. You can blame my older sister for that. When I was born, my parents asked her to name the new baby. She was enjoying Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland so much that she chose “Alice,” thus launching me into life with a literary heritage. (It worked.) BBM: What are you currently working on? For nearly a decade, we put our Haunted Bookshop Mystery series on hiatus, so we’re especially excited about bringing a new entry to our (very patient!) readers. We just finished writing The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller, coming this October, and we’re now planning the next book in the series. We’re also working on our next Coffeehouse Mystery, the 18th in that bestselling series. Look for its publication in 2019.

BBM Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why? Our favorite book tends to be the one we’ve just completed. Starting a new book can be thrilling but also frustrating. There are always setbacks and worries. By the middle, we’ve worked out many of the problems, and we’re excited about the story kicking in and really rolling. That’s when it becomes our favorite book, which makes The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller and Shot in the Dark our favorites of each series, at the moment anyway!

BBM: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding? The most challenging part of what we do is also the most rewarding. We are constantly looking for fresh ways to entertain, delight, and inspire our readers. We strive to make our words disappear, and our characters, settings, and stories as real and compelling as possible with a conclusion to each tale that resonates long after the last page is turned.

BBM: Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers? Not all writers enjoy interacting with readers, but we absolutely do. Over the years, we have treasured our conversations with readers. We want to encourage everyone to follow us on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle), drop us a note on our web site’s message board (www.CoffeehouseMystery.com), or sign up for our free E-newsletter to keep in touch. Find out how to subscribe at our website, where you can also find plenty of great content, including a checklist of titles with books in order; book club discussion questions; free recipe guides to our culinary mysteries; and more.

SHOT IN THE DARK: A Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle EXCERPT "Shot down again . . ." My ex-husband dropped his hard body onto the soft stool at our crowded coffee bar, the thorny end of a long-stemmed rose still pricking his hand. "Three strikes in one night," I said. "Does that mean you're out?" "No, Clare. That's another kind of ball game." "I hope you're talking about the Yankees." "What do you think?" "I think you should give up pitching woo and pitch in behind this counter…” We were short-staffed this evening with every café table occupied, the coffee bar packed, and a line of customers spilling into the chilly West Village night. Couples who couldn't find seats were sipping their lattes on the cold sidewalk. According to my young baristas, the reason for this bounty of business was a hot new "dating game" application for smartphones. Hot was the operative word, since the app was called Cinder. This one included "user ratings" for the best public meeting places in the city, and we currently ranked in the top three. Now that our landmark coffeehouse was a hookup hot spot for digital dating, my quiet evenings at the Village Blend displayed all the tranquility of a Times Square crosswalk.

"I'll work a shift," Matt told me. "But I'm not aproning-up until you caffeinate me." "You want a single?" I asked. "Make it a Red Eye." The Red Eye aka "Shot in the Dark" was the barista's answer to the bartender's boilermaker, a jolty combination of espresso poured into a cup of high-caffeine light roast. It wasn't for the faint of heart. But then neither was my ex-husband. A legend in the trade, Matteo Allegro was among the most talented coffee hunters in the world, as comfortable on a yacht floating in Portofino as in a muddy Jeep flirting with the edge of the Andes on Bolivia's infamous Death Road. Adrenaline wasn't his only drug. During our marriage, he became addicted to cocaine while partying too hard below the equator. I helped him kick that deadly habit but failed to dent his other addiction-women. Matt generated enough heat around the world's coffee belt to increase global warming, which is why I made the mature decision to put our marriage on ice. Even so, his behavior tonight seemed excessive. Who makes three dates in one night? And how could Matt have possibly struck out on all of them? The very idea was (I had to admit) amusing. Not that anyone's rejection deserved to be mocked. On the contrary, I did my level best to suppress the surging wisecracks. My raven-haired barista Esther, on the other hand, did not share my overactive conscience. From her perch at the register, she propped a hand on her ample hip and targeted Matt through her black-framed glasses. "Did I hear right?" she asked. "The prince of passion was passed over? The sultan of seduction shunned? The archduke of desire dumped?"

"Hard to believe, I know . . ." With a smirk, Matt pushed his sweater's sleeves up tanned and sculpted forearms. "But even the best swingers foul out from time to time." "I saw your first two dates vacate your table," Esther said. "I lost track of the third. What was the reason for the last heave-ho? She's a vegan and you eat veal?" "No. The vegan was Mindy, an hour ago." "What about the redhead at eight thirty?" "She said I reminded her of her ex." "And the little blonde who just left? Why didn't she like you?" "Actually, she did. I reminded her of her father." "Ouch." I tried not to laugh-and failed. Matt noticed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" "I'm sorry," I said. Hoping to make it up to him, I slid over his Red Eye. "Here you go, made with love." Matt took a long hit and sighed. Then he laid his rosebud on the counter like a carnation on a coffin-and picked his smartphone back up. "Hey! You agreed to help us back here, remember?" Matt's focus didn't falter. "Just one more check of my Pumpkin Pot." "Your what?"

Esther rolled her eyes. "He's talking about that stupid Cinder app." With a deep breath for patience, I went back to work behind the espresso machine. Three cappuccinos and two hazelnut mochas later, the man was still swiping. "Enough!" I grabbed the phone. That got his attention. "What's with the hostility?" "I'm not hostile!" A few heads turned, and I lowered my voice. "Okay, maybe I'm a little hostile. This swipe-to-select coupling, and all these amped-up matches-it's like romance on Red Eyes. In my view, love should not be a sport." "Not a sport, Clare, a game . . ." Snatching back his phone, Matt waved me closer. "Check this out-" Like a little boy with a new toy, he showed off the screen. The word Cinder crackled in red letters, tongues of flame licking the edges. Below the logo were colorful animationsa glass slipper, fluttering fairy, and pulsing pumpkin-floating as innocently as Disney props. Matt's finger stroked the tiny pumpkin. It jiggled and bounced, then grew and grew. Fairy dust fell from the digital sky, and the pumpkin transformed into a royal carriage with a purple banner readingTODAY'S CINDER-ELLAS! Thumbnail images of a dozen women flew out the carriage door and formed a grid pattern. Matt tapped one of them, and a profile opened, showing an attractive woman with a forced coquettish smile, bangs arranged over one eye with great determination. "I just swiped this Ella into my Pumpkin Pot. If she swipes my profile right by midnight tomorrow, I'll get a Tinkerbell notification."

"A what?" "It means she sent him a Glass Slipper, dear." The reply came not from Matt but from his mother-Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubois. The beloved octogenarian owner of this century-old family business was in fine form this evening, sporting tailored wool slacks and a cashmere sweater the color of textured latte milk. Her silk scarf, printed with Edgar Degas's Dancers in Violet, brought out that very hue in her eyes, which appeared livelier than usual in our shop's soft evening light. As Matt greeted his mother with a kiss on both cheeks, I pulled her a fresh espresso. "What brings you here so late?" "I have a rendezvous!" "With Otto?" I assumed since she'd been seeing the gallery owner for some time. But she shook her head. "Otto's consultation work in Europe is ongoing. He and I agreed to keep things loose. And you know I'll need an escort for your wedding-once you and your blue knight finally decide on a venue." "Believe me, we're trying." "So . . ." She waved her smartphone. "I'm swiping to meet!" "You're using Cinder?" "Don't be silly! I use the Silver Foxes dating app. That software allows either sex to make the first move." Matt's eyebrow arched. "Maybe I should try it."

"Heavens no, it's not for children! The user age starts at sixty-five." Esther snorted. "Hear that? In twenty short years, Mr. Boss will have a date." Matt waved his phone. "More like twenty seconds." Tinker-Tinker! "See!" he said with renewed vigor-and thumb typing. "What just happened?" I asked Esther. "Cinder sent him a Tinkerbell notification." "Of what? The approach of Captain Hook?" "It's just a glorified text message," Esther explained, "telling him a woman wants to communicate with him. In Cinder-speak they call it a Glass Slipper. Only a Cinder-ella can send a slipper to a Cinder-fella. That's one reason the app has become so hot." Matt nodded. "Contrary to the Connie Francis song, boys go where the girls are, and more women are on Cinder than any other app. They feel safer making the first move, and I'm happy to let them. Once they swipe me right, Tinkerbell alerts me, and we can set up a date to see if-" "The Glass Slipper fits. I get it." "And if it does . . ." Matt grinned. "We're on our way to the . . . uh-hem ball. That's Cinder-speak for going to-" "I get that, too. But what happens if Ms. Pumpkin Pot swipes left on you instead of right?"

"Then we're done. Accept-Reject. Win-Lose. It's that simple." "Simple? Or reductive? The decision to accept or reject a human being is being made on a few pictures and a paragraph!" "So?" Matt halted his thumb-typing. "Look, it's no different than meeting a prospective partner in a bar or at a party. You check each other out, flirt a little, and you hit it off-or you don't. The app just makes the party bigger." "One must keep up with the times, dear," Madame advised with a wink. Then she finished her espresso and tossed us a farewell wave. "My Silver Fox is in the coop!" "I don't disagree with your mother," I told Matt when he finally joined us behind the counter. "Keeping up with change is smart-from a practical standpoint. But there are larger issues to consider." "Like what?" "Like change isn't always for the better, especially when it involves human nature." Matt scoffed, but Esther countered"Ms. Boss ain't wrong. I read an article by a social scientist who believes these dating apps are artificially turbo-boosting the 'hit-it-and-quit-it' culture, devolving excessive users into the addictive cycle of Skinner box animals." "See?" Matt waved away my concern. As he tied on his apron, he pointed to his mother, who was already happily on her way out the door with her dapper-looking date. Then he challenged me to prove this "devolution" theory with a concrete example.

I couldn't. Not then. Within the hour, however, one of our customers did it for me . . . I was sipping an espresso on a much-needed break whenBANG! The sound of a single gunshot tore through our upstairs lounge. Looking back, I shouldn't have been so shocked. A new mate with every swipe meant the old one was tossed away. When it happens enough times, anyone's candy-store excitement could turn sour, even bitter. Binary code could connect continents, but it couldn't reprogram people, delete our fears and frailties. Or erase our potential for violence . . . At the sound of that bang upstairs, everyone on the main floor quieted, the sea of faces going blanker than a dead smartphone screen. Was that really a gun? BANG! BANG! BANG! With three more shots, chaos ensued. Freaked-out bodies stampeded the exit in unstoppable waves, and I bobbed amid the panic like a cork in the Atlantic. "Clare!" Matt shouted, leaping over the counter. "Where are you?" "I'm here!" I jumped up to show him and, on the next bounce, screamed a gentle suggestion to"Call the police!"

Excerpted from Shot in the Dark by Cleo Coyle. Copyright ÂŠ 2018 by Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse mysteries. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tiein writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM.

BABS BOOKMARK

Shot in the Dark by Cleo Coyle

Review by Babs I have to start by saying I am a huge fan and adore Alice and Marc. They will be on the cover of May's issue of the magazine and Q & A so be sure to check that out. I love this series and you can't go wrong with Clare. She alone can keep the reader on their feet not only with the delicious recipes and coffee or her wedding date fiasco, but let's add in a dead body. Dating apps are becoming popular and Casual meet-ups at the Blend are making Clare uncomfortable with what she is seeing. A woman is threatening a man she met on one of these apps. A video of the incident at the coffee shop goes viral online quickly. Clare then finds a dead woman in the river and she finds a usb with the video on it. The fun of course are the twists and tons of suspects to keep the reader turning the pages. I love seeing/ reading about Esther, Dante, Mike and of course Matt. Don't forget the recipes at the end of the book. Another great read by two of my favorite authors.

GIVEAWAY

Prize: 3 totes with 3 sets of pens. By Duffy Brown Click here to enter!

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Romance Laura Hodges Poole & KrisÂ Laubscher

Issue 27 | 234

Laura Hodges Poole

When financier Penny Ruskin returns to Walhalla, South Carolina, she has one purpose—to settle her grandmother's estate and sell the Victorian house she grew up in. Not an easy task with the downturned economy. When she loses her job in the state capital, what other choice does she have but to stay in Walhalla until she finds work? She can only hope it won't take long. Walhalla is Tommy McAllister's life. Between his family's feed-and-seed store and the bank he's vice president of, he's stretched thin trying to survive the recession. But when a girl he hasn't seen since high school breezes back into town, he's ready to push himself even further to help her feel at home—and convince her to stay. He reaches out to Penny, but the last thing she wants is to be trapped in a small town that holds painful memories—one dark secret in particular. The town matchmaker and bank manager, Miss Betty, a motherless teen Emma who lives down the lane from Penny, and the church ladies of Walhalla's First Baptist add both heartwarming and challenging moments to Penny's life. With the past dogging Penny's steps, dredging up painful memories she's tried to outrun, relatives threaten the future she has begun to hope for…But somewhere deep inside her, a spark of hope remains. Tommy isn't the only one praying for a miracle.

BABS BOOKMARK Issue 27 | 234

Laura Hodges Poole is the author and co-author of several books, available on Amazon. Her Christian romance novel, Return to Walhalla, recently released. She is the 2016 ACWC Badge of Honor winner, 2014 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist, and 2012 RWA Emily finalist. Laura is also a non-fiction ghostwriter/collaborator. As an editor, she enjoys mentoring and helping writers polish their work. Her passion is encouraging others through her blog, "A Word of Encouragement." When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not writing, you might find her hiking, playing the piano, or being crafty. A mother of two, Laura lives in South Carolina with her husband.

Kris Laubscher Still mourning the sudden loss of her husband, a tearful Rebecca boards a plane to Rome. As gut-wrenching as it is to travel alone, she is determined to have the dream vacation she and her husband planned before his death. She doesn't expect to meet a sexy widower from New York. Harrison Sterling was born with a silver spoon and a trust fund and has never known love that wasn't dependent upon his last name and material things. When Rebecca voices her aversion to people of wealth, he hides his background. But he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hide his attraction to the widow from Philadelphia. Can these two broken hearts mend themselves and find a new path forward together or will their differences keep them apart? Excerpt: Rebecca clenched her fists, her nails biting into her skin. She narrowed her eyes out the car window into the bright blue sky as exit signs flew by. Could she find the sweet spot on the window where one punch would shatter it? Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen it on Oprah and suddenly that useless information filled her every thought.

The world had been so cruel—taking away the man she loved and leaving her with two daughters to raise alone. Ever-present magma bubbled under the calm demeanor she presented to the world. Rebecca snorted, folded her arms into her chest and curled herself into a tight ball to hug the door. Her mother pushed her into this car, and she would have to pull her out. When the car passed under the sign for the airport, Rebecca blinked away a tear, shook her head and sighed. Her mother stopped the car at the Departures curb and reached out to take Rebecca’s arm. A sad smile tugged at her lips. “Are you sure you want to go?” “Yes, Mom.” Rebecca turned to her mother and rolled her eyes like a spiteful teenager. “We’ve been over this before. It’s time I start moving on, and going to Rome is the first step.” Her mother’s wrinkled hand squeezed her arm tighter. “It will do you good to get away. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for your whole life. You put pictures of Italy on the walls of your bedroom. You begged me to take you.” Rebecca pulled her arm from her mother’s grasp and reached for the door handle. “It’s just so hard to accept that I am going alone. I was never supposed to be going alone.” Her mother latched her hands onto the doorframe and pulled her aging body out of the car. She walked around the front and stood next to the passenger door. Rebecca remained motionless. Her throat was raw and her body vacant.How did I get here?She belonged at home with her husband, tangled in their bedsheets, listening to the girls making breakfast downstairs. After a few moments, Rebecca unlatched the seatbelt, planted her feet on the pavement and drove her heels into the ground.

As she rose, her mother’s flowing white hair filled Rebecca’s field of vision. Her mother’s hands gripped Rebecca’s shoulders. “Jack would have wanted you to go.” She stared Rebecca in the eyes. Rebecca glared back with pursed lips. Her mother couldn’t know what Jack wanted her to do. She wasn’t sure of it herself and she’d been married to him for fifteen years. Her mother pulled her into a hug—but not the way she used to hug her. The hugs had once filled her with love and warmth, but now she hugged her the same way everyone else did—like she was glass. Like, if they hugged her too hard, she might break. Since suddenly losing Jack three years ago, nothing felt the same. Hugs felt distant. Colors faded to gray. She travelled her life empty inside. The world was blank, with the exception of Rebecca’s two daughters. They were the only color in her life now. She kept going for them and only them. Until today. Today was for her. Today she approached the world as one instead of part of a pair. “Rebecca, trust me. Just go and enjoy yourself. It’s okay to enjoy yourself. Everything will be fine here. I promise.” Doubt filled every crevice. Could she do this? Alone? Should she do this? “Mom, I’m just so tired of…”

Reviews RNWMP: Bride for Wesley (Mail Order Mounties #5) by Kirsten Osbourne Review by Babs Lisa has felt lonely as Jess and Joann are now married to mounties and she wants a life of her own. She goes to see Miss Hazel and she has a surprise letter from Jess asking about other brides for more mounties in the north. Lisa is picked for Wesley. After learning to cook and take care of a house the women and Miss Hazel set off to the Yukon to have the ladies get married. With little Sophie going along they finally arrive. Wesley sees Lisa get off the train and hopes that is not his bride to be. She has a dog for one and looks very fragile. He learns that she is his bride to be and they walk to his cabin to get married. Lisa has cerebral palsy and wants to be stronger and Wesley wants to take care of her. There are some funny moments and then some tantrums. Overall the book was good.

Return to Walhalla by Laura Hodges Poole Review by Babs Penny comes back to Walhalla after being in Columbia, to deal with her grandmother’s house and property after her grandmother is no longer alive. She doesn’t want to stay but she losses her job at the capital. She has no choice but to stay. Tommy is the VP of the bank and helps run the family’s feed and seed store. Walhalla is what he lives for. He loves his town. He tries to help Penny feel at home. Everyone in the town wants Tommy and Penny together. Things seem to always get in the way as Penny tries to make the B & B. I liked the story as it is from where I live. We have a lot of small towns here in SC and one reason why I love it here. Some might say the book is a little preachy but over all the book is great and hope some questions are answered down the road.

Ink by Elizabeth Hunter Review by Amber INK is a wonderful novel that brings together two unlikely characters into one steamy romance. Emmie and Ox are quite different in many ways but more alike than they know. When Ox bounds into the bookshop she's reopening in Metlin, CA, little do they both know that their lives will be forever changed. The chemistry between the two is electric and undeniable (even though they both try), and the romance is slow burning as Emmie and Ox work to pull their combined business ventures together into a workable business plan. The character development in INK was a nice blending of the tattoo culture and the book culture. Putting both cultures together inside one building is a unique business strategy. The uniqueness is sure to provide both cultures competitive advantage, especially over the other tattoo shops in the area. How the author decided to put tattoos and books together (other than a hot inked man on the cover of a book) is just one of Elizabeth Hunter's abilities that I admire. Her imagination is vivid and her excitement for her craft is undeniable. The world building within INK was descriptive, providing essential information to make the story believable. The plot and setting were perfectly paired into a wonderful romantic story that was easy to follow and understand. I was able to visualize each moment that happened within the pages, immersing me further into the world set on 7th and Main. Emmie and Ox are wonderful characters, imperfect but perfect for one another. Emmie has the chance to rebuild her grandmother's bookshop and she takes a chance by doing that and adding tattooing to the lineup. She's somewhat reserved but she knows what she wants when she gets to Metlin, and it isn't to sell the building or rent out the space to someone else. She wants to reopen her legacy, a book shop that she can run her way instead of working for someone else. Ox is a man hellbent on making sure his family is taken care of - his mother, sister, and niece. He so committed that he often times puts them way above his own needs and desires. Opening his own shop with Emmie is a dream come true, but when his family calls, the shop and Emmie may suffer. INK captivated me from the very beginning with sassy and witty friends like Daisy and Tayla, hot tattooers from the shop across the street, and the bookshop. The entire book was fun and sassy,with some intense and broody moments. I had fun reading INK and learning about Emmie, Ox, Daisy, and Tayla. The story kept me engaged from start to finish with an HEA that made me grin like an idiot. All of Elizabeth's novels reach deep within my emotional center and manage to trigger reactionary responses. These types of books are my favorite. The emotions don't have to always include tears; it is just the ability to invoke proper emotional responses to scenarios being played out.

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Publisher News

MAY AVON TITLES: A MATCH MADE IN BED by Cathy Maxwell A SCANDALOUS DEAL by Joanna Shupe DISTURBING HIS PEACE by Tessa Bailey THE BRIDE TAKES A GROOM by Lisa Berne JUNE AVON TITLES: TOO WILDE TO WED by Eloisa James – by request only. Please email Pamela Jaffee at pamela.jaffee@harpercollins.com or Kayleigh Webb at kayleigh.webb@harpercollins.com for more info. THE PRINCE by Katharine Ashe HOW TO FORGET A DUKE by Vivienne Lorret FIRST TIME AT FIRELIGHT FALLS by Julie Anne Long AVON IMPULSE TITLES: PRETENDING HE’S MINE by Mia Sosa NEVER BEEN GOOD by Christi Barth UNMASKED BY THE MARQUESS by Cat Sebastian RUNAWAY HEIRESS by Syrie James AVON INSPIRE TITLES: HER FEAR by Shelly Shepard Gray WILLIAM MORROW TITLES (BY REQUEST ONLY): SAVOR YOU by Kristen Proby – Please email Kayleigh Webb at kayleigh.webb@harpercollins.com for more info. MY DEAR HAMILTON by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie – Please email Lauren Trukowski at lauren.trukowski@harpercollins.com for more info. MY OXFORD YEAR by Julia Whelan – Please email Julie Paulauski at julie.paulauski@harpercollins.com for more info.

MURDER ON UNION SQUARE: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson (978-0-399-58660-6; May 1, 2018; $26.00) Frank and Sarah Malloy are enjoying married life and looking to make their family official by adopting Catherine, the child Sarah rescued and has been raising as her daughter. Parnell Vaughn, an actor and Catherine’s legal father, is looking to fatten his pockets by insisting on a financial settlement to relinquish his parental rights. Even though exchanging money for a child is illegal, Frank and Sarah’s love for Catherine drives them to take a chance. When Frank returns with the money and finds Vaughn beaten to death, all evidence points to Frank as the culprit. A relatively unsuccessful actor with no money and little promise, Vaughn seems to be an unlikely candidate for murder, but Frank soon uncovers backstage intrigue.

MURDER, SHE WROTE: A DATE WITH MURDER by Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain and Jon Land (978-0-451-48927-2; May 1, 2018; $24.00) Jessica Fletcher begins investigating when her friend Babs’ husband Hal suffers a fatal heart attack―that Jessica has reason to believe was actually murder. At the heart of her suspicions lies a sinister dating site Hal had used while he and Babs were having marital issues, a site that may be complicit in somehow swindling him out of millions. Jessica’s sleuthing reveals that Hal wasn’t the only victim, and when his former business partner is also killed, a deadly pattern emerges. Jessica teams up with a brilliant young computer hacker to follow the trail. Soon, Jessica finds herself being stalked by the killer she is trying to catch. She must now set the perfect trap to avoid her very own date with murder.

ONLY SKEIN DEEP: A Knitting Mystery by Maggie Sefton (978-0-425-28253-3; May 1, 2018; $7.99) Kelly Flynn and her boyfriend, Steve, couldn’t be happier as they await the birth of their bouncing baby boy. The Lambspun Knitters are working away on blankets and booties. As they sit around the table crafting their keepsakes, the story of Giselle Callahan is a popular topic of conversation. Giselle is the young wife of Henry Callahan, a banker who traded in his wife of forty years for a newer model. When Giselle is found dead on the greens at a golf club, Kelly and her Lambspun crew worry that a vicious killer is in their midst. WALKING ON MY GRAVE: A Death on Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart (978-0-451-488558; May 1, 2018; $7.99) Annie Darling’s friend and fellow shop owner Ves Roundtree is a very wealthy woman. Upon her death, several cash-strapped islanders are in line to collect life-changing inheritances―but Ves is very much alive. Annie hosts a dinner for the prospective beneficiaries, and, not long after, Ves suffers a bad fall that was no accident. Even though everyone at the table has a motive, the case is starved for evidence. When one of the suspects is found floating in the harbor and Ves disappears, Annie and her husband, Max, spring into action to catch a calculating killer before greed takes another life.

COZY MYSTERY

NOMADIC

Carola Dunn BBM: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I was born and grew up in England. After university (French and Russian), I set off around the world, but only made it halfway (Fiji) before returning to the US to marry a Californian. As we kept moving, I had lots of part-time and temp jobs, from market research to construction to writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. When in 1979 we at last bought a house, in Southern California, and my son was settled at school, I needed to find a job. To postpone the search, I sat down and wrote a Regency (being a Georgette Heyer fan). As I was lucky enough to sell it, I went on writing, a total of 32 Regencies plus a dozen or so novellas, 23 mysteries in my 1920s Daisy Dalrymple series, and 4 Cornish mysteries, set in about 1970. I now live in Oregon, but my son is still in SoCal. I have two grandchildren, so I visit as often as I can. Yet almost all my books are set in England, so in a way I've never left! When I'm not writing, you'll find me reading, gardening, or playing the recorderâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;everything from medieval to modern, or you won't find me because I'm out walking the dog by the Willamette River.

BBM: Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write? No. I hated writing at school though I was always good at it. As I've said above, I started because it seemed better than the alternatives, and it still does. I love language and I love creating characters and settings; other aspects, not so much! BBM: Of the books youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve written, which one is your favorite and why? My favourite is always the one I just sent to my editor, because it's out of my hands apart from a few revisions and proofreading. BBM: What books have most influenced you as a writer? As far as the mysteries are concerned, those "Golden Age" mysteries written in the first half of the 20th century, particularly those of Josephine Tey, Ngaio Marsh, Patricia Wentworth, Dorothy Sayers, R. Austin Freeman, Michael Innes. Et many al. For the Regencies, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. BBM: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding? I find plotting tough. I usually know where I'm starting and where I'll finish (though not always that) but sometimes getting from one to the other can be a struggle. In Sheer Folly, I knew how I was going to kill the victim, but not which of two people would be killed and which the killer. Besides creating characters and figuring out how they would behave in certain situations, I enjoy writing about places and trying to make my readers feel as if they were there. This is particularly the case in the Cornish mysteries, because Cornwall is such a beautiful place. The Daisy books and Regencies are set in lots of different places, so that's also interesting.

BBM: What book is on your nightstand? The Prague Sonata, by Bradford Morrow, Discover magazine, and a collection of Far Side cartoons.

BBM: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future? The twenty-third mystery in the Daisy Dalrymple series, The Corpse at the Crystal Palace, comes out at the beginning of July in both the US and the UK. BBM: Is there anything youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share with your readers? I'd love to hear from you! Contact me via my website or Facebook.

Quail Gardens

Carola Dunn is the author of 23 Daisy Dalrymple mysteries, set in England in the 1920s; 4 Cornish mysteries, set in Cornwall around 1970; and 32 Regencies. She was born and grew up in England but has lived in the US most of her life, much of it in Southern California, now in Oregon, where she lives in Eugene with her dog, Trillian.

Reviews

A Magical Match by Juliet Blackwell Review by Amber In A Magical Match, Lily has a lot on her plate. She's helping organize a benefit for a local women's shelter while trying to plan her very own wedding to Sailor. All is going as well as can be until a man from Lily's past confronts her about something she allegedly stole from him many years ago. When this same man is found dead later in the day and the last time he was seen alive was with Sailor in his face defending Lily, Sailor becomes the number one suspect. Sailor's guilt is corroborated by several eyewitnesses, including a security camera, but Lily is convinced he didn't commit the crime. Her assumptions are validated when "Sailor" is seen out in public when he is still behind bars. Now Lily has to figure out who in the magical community is to blame, all while continuing on with the benefit, planning her wedding, and preparing to see her mother again after a long absence. The Witchcraft Mystery series by Juliet Blackwell just keeps getting better and better. I love Lily's character and Oscar's companionship. Lily is simply an amazing and down-to-earth witch. I have enjoyed watching Lily's character grow so much from book 1 until now. She is embracing who she is finally and allowing others into her life without all of the doubt and suspicion, getting more comfortable with her surroundings in each book. She has friends that accept her for who she is and what she does, a very successful resale shop, and a familiar that sometimes just steals the show. Each story in this series has developed nicely. The reader is taken on a brand new adventure in the world of the paranormal with each book; the content never duplicated or stagnant. The novels are suitable for anyone who wants to read them - teens, adults who don't like sex or swearing, and adults who do like those things but also like the cozy mystery scene, too (like me).

If you're looking for your next cozy series then I highly recommend Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries. They are written well, have great storylines, solid plots, and easy-to-like characters. The dialogue between all characters is smooth and understandable and the novel is an easy, relaxing read. I am waiting patiently for the next book in the series. I was given a copy of this book to read.

Pawprints & Predicaments By Bethany Blake Review by Amber It is time for the 13th annual Sylvan Creek Tail Waggin' Winterfest! Complete with hot chocolate, ice sculptures, vendors, and a Polar Plunge. Oh, lets not forget the folklore that the ghost of a St. Bernard in the woods around the town. All is happy and upbeat until the Polar Plunge becomes the scene of a grisly murder. Lauren Savidge, a tv producer in Sylvan Creek filming the charming little town, is discovered by none other than Daphne, tangled in the weeds at the bottom of the little lake hosting the Plunge. Deader than dead, the mysterious St. Bernard dashes out of the woods and pulls Lauren out of the water before quickly disappearing hence the way he came. Now the town is on full alert knowing there is a killer on the loose and that the fabled St. Bernard appears to, in fact, be very real. Pawprints and Predicaments is a fantastic third book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series. The cozy mystery is full of action, suspense, drama, and animals. I love Artie, the chihuahua Daphne rescued in book 1 and convinced Jonathan to adopt. He is such scene stealer. I adore how he absolutely loves clothes - especially the sweater that Daphne gets for him. Tinks is a feisty cat with a mischievous and cantankerous personality, and Socrates is quite a long suffering basset. Daphne is a wonderful character. She is snarky, compassionate, without too many cares in the world. Some may think she's a flake since her cell never works and she's never on time for anything, but she's a strong protagonist that doesn't live by the timeline of others.

She even has a PhD in philosophy but doesn't use her degree. She's down-to-earth, kind, and gentle. She loves her pet sitting business and continues to prosper. My only complaint is the lack of romance. I love my cozies to have a bit of romance in them when there are a couple viable heroes present; not graphic but at least a little bit to show relationships are moving in that direction. The sparks between Daphne and Jonathan are still there in book 3 but I'm getting tired of the dance. The potential for romance in this series is high, yet I've felt a little let down in that department. I would like to see a bit more between Daphne and someone else. I'm leaning toward a certain detective (hint hint)... The author does a spectacular job with the continued character development and world building. I love Sylvan Creek and how alive the author writes the town and characters (that is, unless you happen to be the latest murder victim). The book is engaging from the very beginning and kept me entertained throughout. There was never a dull moment and some of Daphne's antics had me smiling. The author's writing style is phenomenal. All dialogue was smooth, thought out, and conversational. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way until the end. This book's ending actually shocked me a bit. I had no clue who the one was responsible for the mayhem in book 3. Pushing Up Daisies by Various Authors Review by Babs From the first page any cozy mystery lover is going to like the book. So many great stories to keep the reader turning the pages. There are 14 authors who share a little bit about their series. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the snippets fool you this will give you a sense of what the authors are like and you might just get a glimpse of a new author or two for you. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to give anything away but trust me when I say you are going to love this book.

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Caroline Chase

Poison Kisses by Lisa Renee Jones Review by Amber Shane and Emily from the Dirty Money series are on an extended honeymoon, leaving their Fixer, Seth Cage free to his own devices. Formerly a CIA agent, Seth, is contracted by the CIA for a new op: find and protect Amanda Skye from a man thought dead. This contract pairs Seth with Amanda, a woman he trusted who eventually screwed him over and caused the death of another agent. Amanda also feels like Seth betrayed her. So sets the stage for two former CIA agents brought back together to find and eliminate a common enemy before turning their sights on each other. I really liked Seth's character in the Dirty Money series so I was . really excited to hear he was getting his own three-part spin-off serial. I was not disappointed in the first part of the serial either. Lisa Renee Jones sets the stage for what will be wildly action-packed, suspenseful, and romantic second and third parts of the series. Both Seth and Amanda are strong main characters. Seth's hero and Amanda's heroine make a formidable pair. The author does a great job building up the story and providing the backstory of Seth and Amanda, how they came to be, what happened that fateful night in the past, and how they felt about each other from the beginning. Their reunion reignites passion and chemistry but also hatred and mistrust. An excellent beginning to Seth's story. I was engaged in the story from the very beginning, pulled in by the thought of learning about Seth. I stayed because of the excellent writing, world building that had me feeling like I was part of the book, and interesting plot. I can't wait to see where the author takes Seth and Amanda next. Review copy came from NetGalley

Awkward by D.C. Gambel Review by Amber Awakened truly surprised me with its fresh story surrounding the Four Horsemen (actually 3 Horsemen and one Horsewoman) of the Apocalypse. Evie is the fourth and final member of the legendary Four Horseman, only she doesn't know that until the day she turns 21. Evie knew she was different and harbors some horrible, heart-wrenching secrets pertaining to a "gift" she does not understand. When she is confronted by some less than upstanding men behind a bar, her only hope is that someone saves the men before she kills them. She wasn't expecting Derek to prevent Evie from hurting them but to be unaffected by her "gift." Evie's destiny and true purpose is finally revealed and her reasons behind being unable to touch humans is explained - much to her surprise. As this new world is explained to Evie, she finds a building attraction to one of the Horsemen. The attraction isn't toward a gentle and kind Horseman, it's to one that truly defines bad boy. When they share a very intimate moment, dynamics change, Evie's feelings change, but the Horseman distances himself. Yet, as the story progresses you see that they are made for one another - it just takes them a while to get there. There are parts of their moments together that touched my heart and made me cry. The author did a wonderful job putting emotion into her characters that can be felt by the reader. Awakened is so much more than a paranormal romance though. The story contains the breaking of seals, good versus evil, and trying to train Evie to be able to protect herself and the other Horsemen while also getting her gift under control. Add her human friend into this new world and Evie finds that she finally has a family, one that she can share things with without lying or keeping secrets. She also has the warmth of other people that her body has craved (and not necessarily sexual). I enjoyed the character development and there was a lot of it in Awakened. All of the characters were written well. Evie and her Horseman were meant to be and I was rooting for them from the second he flashed onto the the page. The chemistry was evident right from the very start. The roadblocks that they encountered were hard, full of anger and sadness, maybe some despair, but they conquered them and rose above to learn to work together. The world building was awesome and the descriptions were vivid and I felt like I was there in the story. I can't wait for the next book! I was provided a copy of this book.

Fantasy & YA

Esme’s mother has been gone for seven years now and her father is ready to move past the grief and hurt. He wants to remarry but Esme doesn’t believe her mother was “lost at sea”. Something just doesn’t add up. Esme finds a doctor’s note about her mother’s headaches, delusions and talk of other worlds. Esme is on the beach and when she reaches down for a shell she is taken into another world. Daniel takes her under his wing so to speak but all Esme is getting is more questions not answers. I normally don’t read stories like this but I rather enjoyed the read. I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was great and the plot was interesting to have me wanting to turn the pages.

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