Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The Fixer + Chorizo and Eggs


We have tons of surprises today: a book review and giveaway of THE FIXER by T.E. Woods, and breakfast. If you would like to enter to win a free copy of the e-book just make a comment below about what you would have made Detective Mort Grant for breakfast....

Here's a description of THE FIXER:


Never a doubt. Never a mistake. Always for justice. Never for revenge. She’s the person you hire when you need something fixed—permanently. With a strict set of criteria, she evaluates every request and chooses only a few. No more than one job per country, per year. She will only step in if it’s clear that justice will not be served any other way. Her jobs are completed with skill and precision, and never result in inquiry or police investigation. The Fixer is invisible—and quite deadly. . . .

In the office of a clinical psychologist in Olympia, Washington, a beautiful young woman is in terrible emotional pain. She puts up walls, tells lies, and seems to speak in riddles, but the doctor is determined to help her heal, despite the fact that she claims to have hurt many people. As their sessions escalate, the psychologist feels compelled to reach out to the police . . . but it might be too late.

In Seattle, a detective gets a call from his son. A dedicated journalist, he wants his father’s expertise as he looks into a suspicious death. Together they follow the trail of leads toward a stone-cold hired killer—only to find that death has been closer than either could have imagined.

Here's the review:

I must admit that I was attracted to book initially because I consider myself a bit of a fixer, not the murdering kind, but still a fixer. I guess were always trying to find ourselves in the books we read one way, or another... but enough about me. 

THE FIXER is a fast-paced thriller. It sucks you in and keeps you there as you turn page after page. I enjoyed reading about Chief of Detectives, Mort Grant, and how he reacts to this vigilante killer. 

The whole set up was intriguing. It's the kind of book you could start reading on an airplane and not put down until you landed. I love those kinds of books. The plot twists were in most cases unexpected. This is the first in a series and I look forward to reading the next installment. 

And now it's time for a little breakfast from T.E. Woods' cast of characters...




No manner of murder or mayhem can keep Detective Mort Grant from grabbing his work-day breakfast from the diner across from impound lot. He’ll eat whatever Annie’s serving up special that day. The food’s good, the generous portions arrive fast and hot, and all the servers know to keep his cup full of hot black coffee.
       But his weekends are different. Back when Edie was alive Sunday breakfast was a rare quiet time for the two of them to linger over the newspaper and re-connect about the kids, friends, and the latest on Jimmy DeVilla’s love life. Mort still takes time to prepare a special breakfast on Sundays. He eats alone mostly. Robbie’s married and living in Denver. Allie’s who-knows-where, and it’s been over a year since Edie died. But when he’s in the kitchen making his wife’s favorite recipes, he can almost hear her singing along with the radio and reminding him the napkins go on the right side of the plate.
      Today he’s making Edie’s Chorizo and Eggs. Edie always told him it was a perfect recipe for him, since all it takes is chopping and stirring. He sends up a hope that she’s somewhere happy as he pulls her favorite big skillet out of the cabinet. Edie always loved swapping recipes with folks. Here’s hoping you’ll think of Mort and Edie when you try this.

Edie Grant’s Chorizo and Eggs

Ingredients
2 tbs. olive oil
½ pound Mexican chorizo (Mort likes it spicy, but you can choose mild or medium)
4 small potatoes, boiled (Edie always did them up the night before…less fuss in the morning), diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
6 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbs. chili powder
3-4 green onions
Sour cream
Salsa (again, pick your level of heat)
Flour tortillas

Saute the onions and green pepper in the olive oil over medium heat. Once they start to soften, add the potatoes and chili powder. Stir fry for about one minute, then add the chorizo. Stir and chop the chorizo to make sure it’s mixed in with the vegetables.  While the sausage cooks, scramble the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the eggs into the frying pan and sprinkle with about half of the cheese. Scramble the whole thing together to incorporate. Continue frying until the eggs are done to your liking.  Remove from heat and top with salsa and sour cream. Serve with three warm flour tortillas.


Mort likes to make a big deal when bringing the dish to the table.  Edie always told him presentation could make a bowl of cereal taste elegant. She always served their orange juice in wine glasses…said it made it seem more festive. Here’s hoping you enjoy a bit of festivity in your day.


T. E. Woods is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Madison, Wisconsin. Her scientific writings are well represented in peer-reviewed journals and academic texts. Her literary works earned her first place for Fiction at the University of Wisconsin Writers’ Institute. Dr. Woods enjoys kayaking, hiking, biking, and hanging around the house while her two dogs help her make sense of the world. Her habit of relaxing by conjuring up any manner of diabolical murder methods and plots often finds her friends urging her to take up knitting.

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13 comments:

  1. Scrambled eggs with spicy sausage, mushrooms and salsa. Bobbipad@gmail.com

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  2. I just want to thank T.E. Woods for her fabulous recipe and commentary. Thank you for making this a great post.

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  3. Thank you, Deborah, for this lovely review. I'm so glad you enjoyed the book...and I hope you like the recipe as well. Wait til you see the mayhem Mort and Lydia find themselves in with the next installment. Be on the lookout for "The Red Hot Fix". It's coming out June 10th. Thanks again for this review. It means the world to me. T.E.Woods

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  4. I personally LOVE breakfast so this sounds like the perfect combination - a thriller and a dude after my own heart (sigh!). I would make him a breakfast featuring eggs scrambled with spinach, a little diced onion, and a little cheese to make it all wonderful. Nestle it around some home made hashbrowns and some chewy rye bread and enjoy the bliss!

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  5. Wow, now I'm hungry. I think I will make a breakfast burrito, complete with diced bacon, sausage and mushrooms.

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  6. I'd start with an atomic cup of coffee, followed by a syrupy mass of cinnamon laden French toast and a side of thick sliced crispy fried Applewood bacon. I also see a nap by the fireplace shortly thereafter zzzzz

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  7. I would make Detective Mort Grant, a Southern breakfast of Grits, Scrambled eggs with cheese and green onions of course,and made from scratch buttermilk biscuits with sausage, bull dog gravy and or homemade Mayhaw Jelly!

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  8. This is the kind of book that keeps me up way too late at night to find out what will happen next!

    Thanks for being on the tour.

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