Agatha Award-winning author Terrie Farley Moran is back with us today to match her third book in the Read 'Em and Eat series, Read to Death, with the perfect drink. And there's a giveaway for the beautiful journal featured at the end of the post. Details below.
- Deborah Lacy
The story opens:
"In the parking lot of the Read ’Em and Eat Café and Book Corner, I stood by the side of a sky blue van with oversized white letters advertising the “Gulf Coast Cab and Van” etched on the center door panel. I mentally counted the members of the Cool Reads/Warm Climate Book Club as they settled in. All six were present. My BFF and business partner, Bridgy Mayfield, was busily stowing thermoses of sweet tea and pastry boxes in the carrier right behind the driver."
Sassy Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield, proprietors of the Read ‘Em and Eat Café in Fort Myers Beach, are taking the “Cool Reads/Warm Climate” book club on their annual field trip. This year they are visiting the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Chatty Oscar Frieland is their driver. Besides flirting with the ladies, Oscar tells them all about the history of the estate—with stories about Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone.
When they come back from the field trip, Sassy and Bridgy make fresh lemonade, and here's their recipe. But be careful when you drink it, because while the book club ladies drink their lemonade at the table named after Dashiell Hammett, Bridgy begins calling for help. She found Oscar's dead body slumped across the seat of the van. Now Bridgy is quickly becoming the prime suspect so she and Sassy decide they must find out who the real killer is.
Read 'Em and Eat Lemonade
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 gallon cold water
Juice of 8 lemons
1 sliced lemon
Ice
First you make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small sauce pan over low heat. Bring to a boil. Stir the syrup until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat. Wait until it cools.
While you're waiting, juice 8 lemons taking care to remove the seeds. Slice the 9th lemon for garnish.
Add a gallon of cold water and the lemon juice to a large glass pitcher. Add the simple syrup and the lemon slices. Stir well. Pour lemonade over ice.
To enter to win the colorful journal below, simple comment about why you want to read Read to Death. US Residents only. We'll announce the winner here next week.
You can find Terrie Farley Moran on Facebook page or on her website. You can see her Drinks with Reads post for the first two books in the Read 'Em and Eat Series - here's Well Read, then Dead, and here's Caught-Read Handed.