tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90875985451102891242024-03-14T07:53:12.478-07:00Mystery PlaygroundWe like mystery and we like to playDeborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.comBlogger2188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-30360248121548237092023-01-29T09:30:00.005-08:002023-01-29T09:30:38.107-08:00The Agatha Award Nominees <p><br /></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px;"><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="font-family: "Maven Pro", sans-serif; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><a style="color: black; transition: all 200ms linear 0s;"><img alt="Picture" src="https://www.malicedomestic.org/uploads/2/5/5/5/25553778/published/the-2021-agatha-award-nominees-1.jpg?1674821679" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a></div></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Playfair Display" !important; font-size: 1.15em; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><u><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></strong></u></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Playfair Display" !important; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hurray! The Agatha Award nominees have been announced. Winners will be chosen at this year's <a href="https://www.malicedomestic.org/">Malice Domestic Conference</a> in Bethesda, MD, April 28-30. It's a great conference for those who love traditional mysteries. </span></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Playfair Display" !important; font-size: 1.15em; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><u><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">2022</span></strong></u><br /><u><strong>Best Contemporary Novel</strong></u><br /><strong>Bayou Book Thief, Ellen Byron (</strong>Berkley Prime Crime)<br /><strong>Death By Bubble Tea, Jennifer J. Chow (</strong>Berkley)<br /><strong>Fatal Reunion, Annette Dashofy </strong>(Level Best Books)<br /><strong>Dead Man's Leap, Tina de Bellegarde </strong>(Level Best Books)<br /><strong>A World of Curiosities, Louise Penny </strong>(Minotaur)<br /><br /><u><strong>Best Historical Novel</strong></u><br /><strong>The Counterfeit Wife, Mally Becker</strong> (Level Best Books)<br /><strong>Because I Could Not Stop for Death, Amanda Flower </strong>(Berkley)<br /><strong>The Lindbergh Nanny, Mariah Fredericks </strong>(Minotaur)<br /><strong>In Place of Fear, Catriona McPherson </strong>(Mobius)<br /><strong>Under a Veiled Moon, Karen Odden</strong> (Crooked Lane Books)<br /><br /><u><strong>Best First Novel</strong></u><br /><strong>Cheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss </strong>(St. Martin’s)<br /><strong>Death in the Aegean, M. A. Monnin </strong>(Level Best Books)<br /><strong>The Bangalore Detectives Club, Harini Nagendra</strong> (Constable)<br /><strong>Devil’s Chew Toy, Rob Osler </strong>(Crooked Lane Books)<br /><strong>The Finalist, Joan Long </strong>(Level Best Books)<br /><strong>The Gallery of Beauties, Nina Wachsman </strong>(Level Best Books)<br /><br /><u><strong>Best Short Story</strong></u><br /><strong>"Beauty and the Beyotch," Barb Goffman </strong>(Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Feb. 2022)<br /><strong>"There Comes a Time," Cynthia Kuhn, Malice Domestic Murder Most Diabolical</strong> (Wildside Press)<br /><strong>"Fly Me to the Morgue," Lisa Q Mathews, Malice Domestic Mystery Most Diabolical</strong> (Wildside Press)<br /><strong>"The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot," Richie Narvaez, Land of 10,000 Thrills, Bouchercon Anthology </strong>(Down & Out Books)<br /><strong>"The Invisible Band," Art Taylor, Edgar & Shamus Go Golden</strong> (Down & Out Books)<br /><br /><u><strong>Best Non-Fiction</strong></u><br /><strong>The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators, Martin Edwards</strong> (HarperCollins)<br /><strong>The Handbook to Agatha Christie: The Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie, Mary Anna Evans and J. C. Bernthal </strong>(Bloomsbury Academic)<br /><strong>The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie, Carla Valentine </strong>(Sourcebooks)<br /><strong>Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane Vallere Ed. </strong>(Sisters in Crime)<br /><strong>Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman, Lucy Worsley </strong>(Pegasus Crime)<br /><br /><u><strong>Best Children's/YA Mystery</strong></u><br /><strong>Daybreak on Raven Island, Fleur Bradley </strong>(Viking Books for Young People)<br /><strong>In Myrtle Peril, Elizabeth C. Bunce </strong>(Algonquin Young Readers)<br /><strong>#shedeservedit, Greg Herren </strong>(Bold Strokes Books)<br /><strong>Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer, Frances Schoonmaker </strong>(Auctus Publishers)<br /><strong>Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, Nancy Springer</strong> (Wednesday Books)</div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Playfair Display" !important; font-size: 1.15em; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Playfair Display" !important; font-size: 1.15em; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px auto 2em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"></div>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-33835894919635412242021-07-09T09:25:00.004-07:002021-07-09T09:25:35.068-07:00 THE CORPSE WITH THE IRON WILL and Bombay Bramble Breakfast Bubbles<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWAnLIpOZBODq4OStc_TJbJT6p59IP-eYT_jv_kaEzJIXu6yiAlNIewHZwUxHa7r6vXtSYvC1BRn34AMvGRiiEJ62J58SQplsM1v3WliAzNEv2Bjtr9rZXEYsmCMJaDHfqEM2E1UlvwQ/s2543/20210601_115431+FDR+%25231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2543" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWAnLIpOZBODq4OStc_TJbJT6p59IP-eYT_jv_kaEzJIXu6yiAlNIewHZwUxHa7r6vXtSYvC1BRn34AMvGRiiEJ62J58SQplsM1v3WliAzNEv2Bjtr9rZXEYsmCMJaDHfqEM2E1UlvwQ/w640-h312/20210601_115431+FDR+%25231.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><a href="CATHY ACE CRIME WRITER">Cathy Ace</a> is back with the latest installment of her Cait Morgan mysteries with The Corpse with the Iron Will and a delicious beverage that breathes summertime....</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cait Morgan is a Welsh Canadian professor of criminal psychology, who cannot help but trip over a dead body whenever she travels…which she does often. But, this time, a corpse is discovered next door to our sleuth, so she’s faced with a particularly difficult challenge – assessing her neighbors in moody, mountainous British Columbia as potential murder suspects.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you enjoy Christie-like traditional mysteries, and you like to travel to a different location every time you work to untangle to the clues and red herrings, then Cait Morgan is the sleuth for you. Ably abetted by her partner in crime and life – retired homicide detective, husband Bud Anderson – Cait applies her academic smarts to a case that’s, on this occasion, far too close to home for comfort.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the tenth book in the award-winning series, which is being developed by UK production company Free@LastTV (Agatha Raisin) as a recurring series of 90-minute, made-for-TV movies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Photo taken by the author, in her front garden – the book’s “natural habitat”.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">“Bombay Bramble Breakfast Bubbles”</span></b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you put fruit in a drink, it’s officially a drink you can have for breakfast/brunch, right? If that’s something you agree with, this tipple is for you (though it’s refreshing and delicious at any time of day). Both Cait Morgan and Cathy Ace enjoy the odd G&T, so when Bombay Gin launched their Bramble version (with the flavours of bramble, blackberry, and raspberry) the author felt she had to taste it, on behalf of her character. Having tested (relentlessly!) various combinations, this is now a favourite. Using frozen fruit is best – it gradually melts as you sip, and you get to eat fruit when you’ve finished the alcohol, which makes this close to being a health drink.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pop the ice, frozen berries, and gin into a large glass, top up with your choice of lemon/lime soda (or British lemonade, which will make for a sweeter drink, so if you use that, add a dash of lemon juice/a slice of lemon) and enjoy. Cheers, folks!</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bombay Bramble:</b> 1oz (or more, if you want…maybe you’re brunching at home, so no driving required)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">- 7-Up/Sprite: whole can</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">- Frozen berries<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">- Ice</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">You can find Cathy on </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cathy-Ace-Author-318388861616661" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><span class="s2">Cathy Ace - Author | Facebook</span></a>, <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Twitter: @AceCathy and </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Instagram: @cathyace1</span></i><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0VqTkTq6r88n4rQ50kqcYcCtwnF9O2ZMVUfx74ziG1OKkSccf3JdL1HXDLjo2MY_RQxKSe0l0yj9tW__dhVKFl6xohlJPxlgs08GEs4PQc0mQl0CvsmlWi60LRhRpRG4M8CL4Rb9Gik/s2048/The+Corpse+with+the+Iron+Will+June+2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0VqTkTq6r88n4rQ50kqcYcCtwnF9O2ZMVUfx74ziG1OKkSccf3JdL1HXDLjo2MY_RQxKSe0l0yj9tW__dhVKFl6xohlJPxlgs08GEs4PQc0mQl0CvsmlWi60LRhRpRG4M8CL4Rb9Gik/w380-h558/The+Corpse+with+the+Iron+Will+June+2021.png" width="380" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-35394621969181623262020-12-11T08:23:00.006-08:002020-12-11T08:23:51.105-08:00Drink with Reads: Madness of the Q<p><br /></p><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI1ed0REh53PHGfmY2VbPuNuopTZpb0cpoO_CIht9yrh6RsgclYUUbp7RiFZamJDWViwinOOdwYI-4IeAd9myQDYcbgASzt98qIu1Hto5v8BVET5ApH_4FGaRgA6bZGxHHvo2LMuQg9k/s2048/Mystery+Playground+Drinks+with+Reads+-+Basnight+Blog+for+Madness+of+the+Q+12.14.20+pub+date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI1ed0REh53PHGfmY2VbPuNuopTZpb0cpoO_CIht9yrh6RsgclYUUbp7RiFZamJDWViwinOOdwYI-4IeAd9myQDYcbgASzt98qIu1Hto5v8BVET5ApH_4FGaRgA6bZGxHHvo2LMuQg9k/w650-h425/Mystery+Playground+Drinks+with+Reads+-+Basnight+Blog+for+Madness+of+the+Q+12.14.20+pub+date.jpg" width="650" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="www.graybasnight.com">Gray Basnight</a> joins us today on Drinks with Reads to celebrate his new book, The Madness of Q, jus tin time for the holidays...</span></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Glad to be back with Drinks with Reads. Here’s a stiff one, in honor of<b> </b>cryptologist and math Professor Sam Teagarden who makes his return in <i>Madness of the Q. </i>He’s begrudgingly recruited by the FBI and CIA to help global chaos triggered by discovery of a 1st Century document found beneath an ancient church in northern Israel. Apparently written by Christian monks, it causes mass madness among cults and fanatics. Is it the encoded missing gospel, known in the theology world as the Quelle Document, or Q Document? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Sam Teagarden accepts the mission to find out, only to learn that his main job, which has him careening from New York to Israel, Venice, Rome, and Berlin—is his own survival. So Sam, if you make it back to New York, mix one of these, take a deep breath, and sip slowly. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Have a Q-Tonic while devouring <i>Madness of the Q</i></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #2e2e2e; text-indent: -18px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Mix 3 oz of Quince brand gin with a dash of Quassia brand bitter spice and shake with ice; then strain over fresh rocks</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Add desired amount of Q Tonic brand tonic water (which contains real <span class="s3" style="color: #333333; text-indent: -18px;">quinine, so take note if you have health issues)</span><span style="color: #2e2e2e; text-indent: -18px;"> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Sprinkle two drops of <span style="color: #202124; text-indent: -18px;">Bénédictine sweet liqueur in honor of the mad monks who may have caused a 21</span><sup style="color: #202124; text-indent: -18px;">st</sup><span style="color: #202124; text-indent: -18px;"> Century stir of another kind</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Instead of a twist, garnish with little men scrambling up and out of the glass, reflecting the madness of it all</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Sip and enjoy</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #202124; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There you have it, a tangy version of the classic Gin and Tonic to accompany and soothe the fictional frenzy invoked through <i>Madness of the Q</i>.</span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #202124; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">More About <i>Madness of the Q</i></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The Quelle Document (German for the word “source”), widely known as The Q Doc, is a theorized missing source for much of the New Testament.</span></p><p class="p9" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In <i>Madness of the Q, </i>it’s no longer a mere theory. It’s real. And when news of its existence leaks, Jonestown-style suicide erupts across the globe among two fervent groups who alternately fear or cheer that it may repudiate the foundations of Christianity. Because of his fame as a cryptologist in the prequel <i>Flight of the Fox</i>, math Professor Sam Teagarden returns to help determine its authenticity and end the spreading madness. </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, no one figured on a former Mossad agent hired by the Vatican to kill anyone who gets close to the truth, or an opposing atheist cult bent on making sure the truth is revealed.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s6" style="color: #222222;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>***</span></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><b></b></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><b>Thomas Perry says</b></span><b>:</b> “Madness of the Q is a wild and breathless pursuit with Sam Teagarden on the run, desperate to connect with the right people and evade the wrong ones from New York to Israel to Italy to Germany in a non-stop plot that reminds us of Dan Brown, Ludlum, Fleming, and maybe even a bit of Umberto Eco.” </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">— author of <i>The Butcher’s Boy</i>, <i>The Burglar</i>, and, <i>A Small Town.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Comments are welcome via my website or at graybasnight.com. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p10" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">##</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><b>About the author</b></span>: After almost three decades in broadcast news, where he wrote fact-based stories, Gray Basnight now writes fictional ones. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, he’s lived in New York long enough to consider himself a native. His latest book <i>Madness of the Q </i>(Down & Out, December 2020), brings back math professor and decryption expert Sam Teagarden in an international thriller sparked by the discovery of an ancient, encoded Biblical parchment. Prior books include <i>Flight of the Fox</i>, a political thriller introducing Professor Teagarden, who inadvertently uncovers revelations that could change 20th Century American history (Down & Out, 2018); <i>The Cop with the Pink Pistol</i>, a modern NYC detective mystery/romance; and <i>Shadows in the Fire</i>, a historical novel about two young slaves on the edge of freedom as the Confederate capital of Richmond falls in April 1865. Gray is a member of the Mystery Writers Association, Authors Guild and Thrillerfest.</span></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-59289896391364307712020-10-02T08:58:00.001-07:002020-10-02T08:58:10.315-07:00 Holiday No-Egg Eggnog with Maddie Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkkdq7JDV5TiLQmWvwxg0Lg5C9jRAvgtczV5lQAE92T6q0UmH9j9OR1P-gSAMOFNpbyLH1D9vY1O3j7Qg_DtoW9IcIRGW4kM7-DqWw08-TCpIHbND08qQ_hEAoBfjUK1_H-0LGMurwsI/s2048/not+eggnog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1762" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkkdq7JDV5TiLQmWvwxg0Lg5C9jRAvgtczV5lQAE92T6q0UmH9j9OR1P-gSAMOFNpbyLH1D9vY1O3j7Qg_DtoW9IcIRGW4kM7-DqWw08-TCpIHbND08qQ_hEAoBfjUK1_H-0LGMurwsI/w430-h500/not+eggnog.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p> <b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Holiday No-Egg Eggnog</span></b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">By Maddie Day</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thanks for having me back to Drinks with Reads! I’m celebrating the release of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Candy-Slain-Murder-Country-Mystery/dp/1496723171"><span style="color: #0563c1;"><i>Candy Slain Murder</i></span></a>, my eighth Country Store Murder, and I’ll give away a copy to one commenter.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yes, you got it right – it’s a Christmas cozy mystery. Robbie Jordan has her country store all decorated for the holidays, and she and her assistants think up fun Christmas-colored specials to serve, like a spinach-red pepper egg bake. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Robbie’s also fond of Four Roses bourbon. Funny, so is her author. Eggnog is a classic winter drink, and I happen to love it. But I know many shudder at the thought of raw eggs in a drink. I don’t, because I get my eggs at a trusted local small farm. Plus the sugar, cream, and alcohol offset the egginess.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So I came up with a no-egg eggnog to go with the book. As it’s currently September, not December, I don’t have a single candy cane in the house. Rest assured, if I did, one would be sticking out of that glass as a stir stick. I also realize I left the sugar and cream out of the photo. Oh, well. You know what those look like, right?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Holiday No-Egg Eggnog</span></b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Serves one</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Stir two tablespoon sugar into eight ounces of cream, half and half, or whole milk (or a combination) until dissolved.<br />
Add two ounces Four Roses bourbon or the bourbon of your choice, and one ounce peppermint schnapps. <br />
Sprinkle with ground nutmeg.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Enjoy with your favorite new Christmas cozy mystery.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Readers</b>: What’s your favorite holiday drink? Are you an eggnogger or not?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In <b><i>Candy Slain Murder</i></b>, Country Store owner Robbie Jordan’s life seems merry and as bright as the Christmas lights glistening around South Lick, Indiana – until a man claims to be the long-lost half-brother of Robbie’s assistant. A fire destroys the home of a controversial anesthesiologist, exposing skeletal remains in his attic. The twin of the long-dead woman is murdered. Unavoidably intrigued, all Robbie wants for Christmas is to stop her winter wonderland from becoming a real nightmare. </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Maddie Day</b> pens the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. Agatha Award winning Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries and short crime fiction. With twenty-three mysteries in print and more underway, Day/Maxwell lives with her beau and their energizer kitten north of Boston, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook. She hopes you’ll find her on social media under both names, on WickedAuthors.com, and at her <a href="https://edithmaxwell.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">web site</span></a>.</span></p>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-23018782648273046342020-09-11T06:29:00.000-07:002020-09-11T06:29:00.509-07:00THREE TREATS TOO MANY by Debra H. Goldstein<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK8K4Ks8kWX4qebeUwWZNLru1vofshUShuZwG1A-dIrjTdbTSzc4IvMtzD-9OiibjA-S_SAuPYC4bzH181bnY5Lp7F28nPhHlfu02OrCtvsV20rjdayxCK5B4dRQ-M0kUklts5kwxNKg/s320/IMG_9726+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK8K4Ks8kWX4qebeUwWZNLru1vofshUShuZwG1A-dIrjTdbTSzc4IvMtzD-9OiibjA-S_SAuPYC4bzH181bnY5Lp7F28nPhHlfu02OrCtvsV20rjdayxCK5B4dRQ-M0kUklts5kwxNKg/w500-h375/IMG_9726+%25284%2529.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: #333333;"><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><i>Champagne cocktails are the order of the day for author <a href="https://www.debrahgoldstein.com">Debra H. Goldstein</a> as she introduces us to her latest novel, <a href=" https://www.amazon.com/Three-Treats-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496719492">Three Treats Too Many</a>. And yes, there are three champagne cocktail recipes to highlight the book...</i></span></p><p><br /></p><p class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>When a romantic rival opens a competing restaurant in small-town Wheaton, Alabama, Sarah Blair discovers murder is the specialty of the house . . . </i></b><br /> <br />For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant. Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently. But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, the attention-stealing new establishment, right across the street, run by none other than Sarah's greatest nemesis, is having a field day thanks to its delicious vegan specialties. <br />To compete, Sarah’s restaurant considers showcasing three treats a day. Because each treat will need to be paired with a perfect drink, here are the three Emily and Sarah suggest for tonight.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #333333; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Glass number one (saucer champagne)</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>St. Germain Cocktail</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3 oz. Champagne</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 oz. St. Germain Liquor</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tsp. of fresh lemon juice</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Glass rim dipped in superfine sugar</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Garnished with a peach</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Glass number two (champagne flute large)</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Pink Fling Cocktail</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2 oz. watermelon juice</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 oz. Campari</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3 oz.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Prosecco</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 oz. lemon fizzy water</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Garnished with watermelon wedge</span></p><p class="p5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 15px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Glass number three (martini glass)</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Traditional Lake Vista Martini</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2 jiggers of Hendrick’s Gin</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A whiff of Dry Vermouth</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A whiff of Olive “juice”</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Garnished with two LARGE anchovy or garlic jalepeño olives</span></p><p class="p5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 15px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 15px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="s1" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span><i>Judge <b>Debra H. Goldstein </b>authors Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series including recently </i></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><i>published Three Treats Too Many, 2020 Silver Falchion finalist Two Bites Too Many, and</i></span></p><p class="p6" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span>January 2019 Woman’s World Book of the Week One Taste Too Many. Debra also wrote Should </span>Have Played Poker and 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories have been chosen as Agatha, Anthony, and Derringer finalists. </span></i></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #111111; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><br /></p>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-34742326988966434212020-08-28T06:37:00.001-07:002020-08-28T06:37:00.146-07:00The Key Lime Crime Key Lime Pie Martini from Lucy Burdett<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DUfFH_9rhsVooy1PvXvlu4EWbE7V0P6CX_wCYfIZ0GSkRM4WxMUdW13saflMU0oJ0sKYV-RO9toaVSdDlf3wP2j3vnBmMYxJMwoWjphWz6af9Jcod7dLy8q-Enw81tCThMGp5x11VPM/s1160/Food+Critic+Mystery+Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1160" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DUfFH_9rhsVooy1PvXvlu4EWbE7V0P6CX_wCYfIZ0GSkRM4WxMUdW13saflMU0oJ0sKYV-RO9toaVSdDlf3wP2j3vnBmMYxJMwoWjphWz6af9Jcod7dLy8q-Enw81tCThMGp5x11VPM/s640/Food+Critic+Mystery+Books.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>It's Key Lime Pie martinis with a side of murder in Lucy Burdette's latest Key West Mystery...</i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">In my tenth Key West mystery, THE KEY LIME CRIME, food critic Hayley Snow is covering the action at a Key West key lime pie contest, and writing articles on where to find the best pie in the city. Of course a murder ensues, and Hayley is on the case.</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">David Sloan (a real person who allowed me to use him as a basis for a character) served up these little gems at his booksigning at Key West Island bookstore, during one scene in The Key Lime Crime. Here’s a small snippet of that scene where Hayley is chatting with the bookstore owner and then David:</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>“Make sure you try one of David’s martinis. Christopher’s a wonderful bartender—executes a recipe perfectly. David’s borrows him for events when he’s not working a shift at the library. Beware, they do pack a punch. Don’t drink these if you’re driving your detective somewhere, or likely to get pulled over.” </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>We both laughed and I walked over to the man tending the table at the end of the fiction bookshelves. Now I recognized him from the library event the other day. He’d been trying to contain the pie-throwing damage, along with Michael, the administrator. </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Martini?” </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“Why not?” I said, thinking this could be another round-up article for Key Zest during the high season: Key lime drinks were as hot as Key lime pies, it seemed. He mixed Stoli Vanil, Liquor 43, and heavy cream in a shaker with ice, shook it, and then poured it into a plastic martini glass rimmed with graham cracker crumbs. I took a sip. </i></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i></i></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“Wow,” I said, as the heat of the booze blazed a path down my throat. “She wasn’t kidding—that packs a wallop.</i></span></p>
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</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">This recipe can be found in the real David Sloan’s cookbook, The Key West Key Lime Pie Cookbook. I’ve reprinted it here and in THE KEY LIME CRIME with his permission.</span></p>
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Ingredients</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">2 oz. Stoli Vanil</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">1 oz. Liquor 43</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">1.5 oz. heavy cream or half and half</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">1 tablespoon fresh Key lime juice, plus a little extra</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Crushed graham crackers</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Add the first four ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Dip a martini glass into a plate containing Key lime juice and then into the crushed graham crackers. Strain the vodka mixture into the glass and enjoy!</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">About THE KEY LIME CRIME:With her intimidating new mother-in-law bearing down on the island and a fierce rivalry between Key lime pie bakers to referee, food critic Hayley Snow is feeling anything but festive…</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> It’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s and Key West is bursting at the seams with holiday events and hordes of tourists. Adding to the chaos, Key lime pie aficionado David Sloan has persuaded the city to host his Key Lime pie extravaganza and contest. Hayley Snow can’t escape the madness because her bosses at Key Zest magazine have assigned her to cover the event. Every pie purveyor in Key West is determined to claim the Key lime spotlight—and win the coveted Key Lime Key to the City.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Another recipe for disaster—Hayley’s hubby, police detective Nathan Bransford, announces that his mother will be making a surprise visit. Newlywed Hayley must play the dutiful daughter-in-law, so she and her pal Miss Gloria offer to escort his mom on the iconic Conch Train Tour of the island's holiday lights. But it's not all glittering palm trees and fantastic flamingos--the unlikely trio finds a real body stashed in one of the elaborate displays. And the victim is no stranger: Hayley recognizes the controversial new pastry chef from Au Citron Vert, a frontrunner in Sloan’s contest.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Hayley must not only decipher who’s removed the chef from the contest kitchen, she's also got to handle a too-curious mother-in-law who seems to be cooking up trouble of her own. </span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">"Charming characters, an appealing setting, and mouthwatering bonus recipes make this a perfect choice for foodie cozy lovers." Publishers’ Weekly, May 2020</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">“The well-described Key West setting nicely complements the foodie frame in this satisfying cozy, which is a natural for fans of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries.”</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">—Booklist</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">ABOUT LUCY: Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 18 mysteries, including THE KEY LIME CRIME (Crooked Lane Books,) the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime and the current president of the Friends of the Key West Library. </span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSBaC_6huFLX8xwvunUH94N_7_d3qtKSV5r5HP1S-yrCGCJA2R317hPZ1VgQd36rFPAf-8NptBpQKt64xGDNwgmMchMf6zbWCyhB-IkwT2Hdf60tD8j5X7tz0VG8evG0KdUSNSkxIMQs/s917/Lucy+with+mask+and+Key+Lime+Crime.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="749" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSBaC_6huFLX8xwvunUH94N_7_d3qtKSV5r5HP1S-yrCGCJA2R317hPZ1VgQd36rFPAf-8NptBpQKt64xGDNwgmMchMf6zbWCyhB-IkwT2Hdf60tD8j5X7tz0VG8evG0KdUSNSkxIMQs/s640/Lucy+with+mask+and+Key+Lime+Crime.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">www.lucyburdette.com</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">blogs: www.mysteryloverskitchen.com </span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">www.jungleredwriters.com</span></p><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-87422907704024892432020-08-07T06:29:00.001-07:002020-08-07T06:29:00.181-07:00House of Desire - Whisky and Wine<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBwAV7ulHQzjLB3OSnGavWXz5euCKJKwOGksQHWRm5mgORSY9XGIiJXADK79MMcoIHBHm6dOEtTmdWsWO0ufyhHcr8Jnc7BAvVsHAw4y_NG_MId6KXnHV-DID22sYm4s4Jf5DnXClLwE/s1279/Unknown-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBwAV7ulHQzjLB3OSnGavWXz5euCKJKwOGksQHWRm5mgORSY9XGIiJXADK79MMcoIHBHm6dOEtTmdWsWO0ufyhHcr8Jnc7BAvVsHAw4y_NG_MId6KXnHV-DID22sYm4s4Jf5DnXClLwE/s640/Unknown-5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><font size="5"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="margaretlucke.com ">Margaret Lucke</a> flings words around as a writer and editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the author of four mystery novels: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">House of Desire, House of Whispers, Snow Angel</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">A Relative Stranger</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> (an Anthony Award finalist). She is also the editor of </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Fault Lines,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> an anthology</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">of mystery short stories published last year by the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She has taught writing classes for more than 20 years, and she has published two how-to books on the craft of writing. Let's see what drink she's chosen to match her novel, House of Desire. </span></font></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><font size="5"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></font></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">In my new novel, <i>House of Desire,</i> reluctant psychic Claire Scanlan attends a gala fundraiser to save a grand San Francisco Victorian. There she encounters a mysterious young woman, Roxane, who is invisible to everyone but her. Roxane is a “soiled dove” plying her trade in the mansion in 1896. She has discovered a secret portal that lets her slip into what she calls the Future House when she needs to escape the most brutal of the men who buy her favors. </font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">When the party’s organizer is murdered in the mansion, Roxane is the sole witness. Terrified, she flees back to her own time. Claire’s philandering brother-in-law is accused of being the killer. To clear his name she must find the elusive Roxane—which means risking a perilous journey into the past from which she may never return.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">The Burnham Mansion in the story is based very loosely on the Haas-Lilienthal House, where the preservation group San Francisco Heritage is headquartered. I had the pleasure of working on their staff a number of years ago. One of the many liberties I took was to give my house a piece of history that the real house doesn’t share. In the 1890s the fictional Burnham Mansion was a parlor house, or upscale bordello, known as Chez Celeste. </font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">The action in <i>House of Desire</i> moves back and forth between Claire’s contemporary world and Roxane’s Victorian-era environment. Among the many things that differentiate the past and present in the book are the beverages people drink. In the 21st century scenes, Claire and her cohorts are likely to choose wine—a full-bodied zinfandel or a crisp chardonnay. The gentlemen who patronize Chez Celeste will often purchase a tot of whiskey, poured from a decanter so they won’t notice that it has been watered down even though they are being charged full price.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">While Chez Celeste didn’t offer cocktails, they were popular in the Victorian era. When looking for Victorian whisky recipes, I came upon this one, which Charles Dickens apparently enjoyed when he visited America. It may be the original cocktail, or at least </font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">the first to be called by that name.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="arial" size="5">The Cock-Tail</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">1 teaspoon super fine sugar or simple syrup</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">2 ounces of rye whiskey</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">3 ounces of water</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">4 dashes of bitters</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">Nutmeg</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">Combine first four ingredients and stir. Top with grated nutmeg</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">Note: This recipe need not be limited to whiskey. The 19th-century instructions say that rum, gin, or brandy will work as well. Whatever your pleasure, I hope you enjoy your drink.</font></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><font face="arial" size="5">Bio:</font></b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5">Margaret Lucke flings words around as a writer and editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the author of four mystery novels: <i>House of Desire, House of Whispers, Snow Angel</i>, and <i>A Relative Stranger</i> (an Anthony Award finalist). She is also the editor of <i>Fault Lines,</i> an anthology<i> </i>of mystery short stories published last year by the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She has taught writing classes for more than 20 years, and she has published two how-to books on the craft of writing.</font></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial" size="5"><i>You can find Margaret on Twitter: @margaretlucke </i></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-73554857732528216022020-08-03T06:25:00.003-07:002020-08-03T06:25:35.198-07:00Q&A with Paul D. Marks<div><h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CQn6fxoZQ7n7LWZ5yqRNXHx3rcUJfl6UCrkDmUyALko1GRQmccSaE40PpYwlstnvYQrlKAZj4Qb-nJKK5rEVWujNVE4lbIoFoeMW7yzGpE_5RUEC463TuEjR45JRclfFnNyh2_dteIc/s2048/Unknown-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CQn6fxoZQ7n7LWZ5yqRNXHx3rcUJfl6UCrkDmUyALko1GRQmccSaE40PpYwlstnvYQrlKAZj4Qb-nJKK5rEVWujNVE4lbIoFoeMW7yzGpE_5RUEC463TuEjR45JRclfFnNyh2_dteIc/s640/Unknown-2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><font face="arial" size="5" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Paul Marks joins us today to talk about his new book, The Blues Don't Care. </i></span></font><i><font size="5"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Paul D. Marks is the author of the Shamus Award-Winning mystery-thriller </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">White Heat</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">. Publishers Weekly calls </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">White Heat</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> a “taut crime yarn”. Betty Webb of </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Mystery Scene Magazine</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> calls its sequel </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Broken Windows</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> “Extraordinary”. His short story “Ghosts of Bunker Hill” was voted #1 in the 2016 </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;"> Readers Award. And “Fade-Out on Bunker Hill” came in second in the 2020 Ellery Queen Readers Poll. “Windward” was selected for the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Best American Mystery Stories of 2018</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, and won the 2018 Macavity Award for Best Short Story. He has written four novels, co-edited two anthologies and written countless short stories, including many award winners and nominees. His short fiction has been published in </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, Akashic’s Noir series (St. Louis), </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Hardboiled, Switchblade, Mystery Weekly</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">, and many others. He has served on the boards of the Los Angeles chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. </span></font></i></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><br />How is the Blues Don't Care different from your other novels?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Blues Don’t Care is different from my other novels. First, it’s set in 1940s Los Angeles during World War II and second, it’s more expansive and goes into a lot more description of the setting. I wanted to immerse the reader in the time period—really make them feel like they’re there listening to swing music, inhaling the smoke from a cigarette and feeling the rhythm of the band playing. And I wanted to dig deep into the main character, Bobby Saxon, as I find him unique and interesting.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">The character of Bobby was challenging to write in that there’s more to him than meets the eye. Bobby’s on a mission. He wants to play piano for the Booker ‘Boom-Boom’ Taylor band, the house band at the famous Club Alabam on Central Avenue in the heart of Los Angeles. But there’s a problem: he’s young and he’s white. So if he gets the gig he’d be the only white player in the otherwise all-black band. That’s not the only thing standing in his way. In order to get the gig he must first solve a murder that one of the band members has been accused of. And if that’s still not enough there’s another big thing standing in his way…</span><br /><br />Where did you get the idea for THE BLUES DON'T CARE? What made you decide to tell this story in the past rather than the present?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I had previously written three short stories with the Bobby Saxon character, but they were published quite a long time ago, so I don’t think most people remember them. The general inspiration for Bobby came from a real person. But everything else about Bobby is fictional. </span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One of the elements of this story was the attitude of society at that time towards people who were different from the mainstream. Bobby doesn’t fit into the society of the 1940s and by joining an all-black band he becomes an outsider among outsiders and that gives the story another layer of depth. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’ve always loved the 1940s era and wished I’d been born in the 20s so I could have lived then. I think the time period is fascinating and full of conflict, both in terms of the war and in terms of changes happening in society at that time. Conflict in real life maybe isn’t so good, but it’s good for writers. It’s the engine of your story. And I think telling this story in the past allows us to view things that are happening today through the prism of the past.</span></font></h4><h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Gb0ORF1DWJROSR3YsiIKoyhW8QlxC-fBhcCTKnFNa2v67u_DEanRfgoe3PmyyfqJDgljf26yp8NqhMcUwQtUFOR0O3MHR-kjiiU6Jxq9LPDMq2XqdqPcK4tBcKuE9-5OwSGu-2oUc6E/s2048/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1317" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Gb0ORF1DWJROSR3YsiIKoyhW8QlxC-fBhcCTKnFNa2v67u_DEanRfgoe3PmyyfqJDgljf26yp8NqhMcUwQtUFOR0O3MHR-kjiiU6Jxq9LPDMq2XqdqPcK4tBcKuE9-5OwSGu-2oUc6E/s640/Unknown-1.jpeg" /></a></div><font face="arial" size="5"><br /><br />What was it about the music scene that called to you? Do you have a background in jazz/swing/other music yourself?<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: pre;"> <br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Although I’ve always loved music, I didn’t always love swing music. My dad loved it and any time we went somewhere in the car he would play it on the radio—his car his rules. I wanted to listen to rock. Later, my dad took us to see Benny Goodman, and I was bored. But I was a dumb kid.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Then something strange happened: as I got older, I started to like it. Maybe having been exposed to it as a kid gave me an appreciation for it that came back to me later on. </span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Also, as an adult I started watching old movies from the 30s and 40s and the swing music in some of them started to appeal to me. My friend Linda and I would go to swing dances and concerts at various venues and even went to see many bands and singers from that era that were still around. We got to see Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell sing Tangerine and Brazil. We saw Tex Beneke lead the Glenn Miller Orchestra. I got to see Johnny Otis, who took over as band leader of the house band at the Club Alabam, though I would have loved to have seen him there.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My musical background, at least as a player, is rock. Bass player. I was in a few bands when I was young, but knew I didn’t have the talent to do it professionally. But that didn’t stop me from trying. And, of course, I can always listen to various kinds of music.</span><br /><br />What did you do to research THE BLUES DON'T CARE?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I love research. It’s a </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">downfall</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> of mine. I just like learning stuff and love history. General history and L.A. history in particular. Blues is set on the Los Angeles home front during World War II. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">I start with the usual sources, books and the internet. But also the music of the period gives you a feel for it and for what people were thinking. As do the movies. Watching movies from the time can show you how people dressed and talked, etc. Same with reading fiction written at the time. But I also had another source that was terrific: my mom and her friends, who remembered L.A. from when they were young during the war years. So I had first-hand sources to go to. And they had things to say that you normally wouldn’t find in books or other second-hand sources.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And one question I had was how to get the characters from Point A to B. Because in those days not only were there no freeways, but some of the roads were different as well. So one of the best resources I found were old 1940s maps of Los Angeles on eBay. I bought several. And I figured out how to get Bobby and his ad hoc partner Sam from L.A. to Long Beach on surface streets. Today we’d just take the freeway, but not back then. So maps are something I highly recommend as research tools.</span><br /><br />What was the most challenging part of dealing with several controversial subjects such as race and gender?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It’s always challenging dealing with controversial issues because writers aren’t like journalists. We’re not always trying to be objective observers. We’re trying to tell a story from our characters’ points of view and we have to get inside their heads and see things the way they would have seen them. There’s always a temptation to look at things from our modern POV but if you do that you lose authenticity.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I think the main thing is that you want to be true to the time period but at the same time realize that we’re living in a different age with different sensitivities. So things that people (characters) might have said or done back then can be hurtful today. That said, I want to be true to the time and the characters, so my way of dealing with it is to put an author’s note—or what these days might be called a trigger warning—at the head of the story so people know what to expect and can decide not to buy or read the book if they think it will upset them.</span><br /><br />If Bobby was actually a real person, would you be friends? Why or why not?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Interesting question and one I hadn’t thought of. Yes, I think we’d be friends. I enjoyed writing Bobby in all his aspects. I think I’d enjoy his music and empathize with his struggles as an outsider.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I like Bobby because he’s trying to find his way in the world. He’s on a mission, he knows what he wants. And is willing to do almost anything to get it. I’m kind of the same.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Also, I think we’d relate on the level of our love of music, though he’s a much better musician than I could ever hope to be. We’d also relate re: detective movies. There’s also things that we wouldn’t have in common, but that goes for anyone. </span><br /><br />Do you share any traits with your protagonist? Which traits?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I share traits with pretty much all of my characters because they’re filtered through me. In terms of Bobby specifically, we both love big band music. Both like detective movies. And I wish I could rock a fedora and a trench coat. I don’t smoke like he does. But I do sometimes feel like an outsider and Bobby is an outsider. In fact, he’s an outsider among a group of outsiders in the society of that time. I think we’re both struggling to find our way in the world. Like Bobby, I didn’t have a good relationship with my father and needed to look outside for role models. And I think, like him, I had certain screen characters that I found that in. And later musicians and some others. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVqCw_TtK4YDEVGhfH9kUTaMgMB9VTdsr2fyyGYmm5_34h0qcGdenaEIlyLtgVViyV1F5AslAGtxk1dGiyQz6u7Du0gZsxXH7Pew0042COG86xeVTS9Xc9h1P-rlAb5nKHaRD6sUe1Ig/s2048/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVqCw_TtK4YDEVGhfH9kUTaMgMB9VTdsr2fyyGYmm5_34h0qcGdenaEIlyLtgVViyV1F5AslAGtxk1dGiyQz6u7Du0gZsxXH7Pew0042COG86xeVTS9Xc9h1P-rlAb5nKHaRD6sUe1Ig/s640/Unknown.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’m also like him in that we’re both on missions. He to become a musician in the club band at the Club Alabam. And me to make something of myself as a writer. So even if Bobby and I are different in some ways I think in others we’re very similar. Driven. Dedicated. Sacrificing other things to do what we want. And trying to make our way in this crazy world.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><br /><br />What was the last mystery novel you read, other than your own, that you LOVED? Why did you love it?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is a tough question because I know a lot of contemporary authors and if I mention someone then someone else’s feelings might be hurt if I leave them out. So I hope you don’t mind if I dodge this at least a little. I’ll talk about some books that I really like by well-known authors so no one feels snubbed. So these might not be the latest books I’ve read and loved, but they are definitely books I love.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Raymond Chandler’s The Long Goodbye and The Big Sleep (and pretty much all of his novels). He’s a master of description and really puts me in the Los Angeles of another time. I feel like I’m there. And Philip Marlowe is the epitome of the cool, cynical P.I. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Michael Connelly’s The Poet. I read it when it came out but it’s stuck with me and I’m ready to read it again. I like it because it’s so well written and plotted that you never see the twists coming. It’s my favorite of his books and blew me away when I read it.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kem Nunn’s Tapping the Source. A hardcore look at the dark side of the LA sun, sand and surf scene.</span></font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Walter Mosely’s Devil in a Blue Dress. Mosley brought back the P.I. novels of the 40s and 50s but from a new perspective. Easy and Mouse are memorable, well drawn characters.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">David Goodis’ Down There (renamed Shoot the Piano Player after Francois Truffaut’s move of that name, based on the Goodis book). It’s been said that Goodis is the “poet of the losers” and that couldn’t be more true. But there’s something about his losers that keeps me coming back for more.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">All of Carol O’Connell’s Mallory series. Mallory is a near-sociopathic NYC detective. She had a tough life and is a hard as nails cop. I turn almost everyone I know onto this series and people either love it and her or hate it. What I like is that even though Mallory is intense, the stories are poignant and touching. It’s almost like Mallory’s lack of empathy and warmth brings out the more human elements of the other characters.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">James Ellroy. Particularly his L.A. Quartet (The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential and White Jazz). His stories are tough. They don’t particularly conform to reality. And if you’ve ever been to one of his signings he’s whacko. And I guess that’s part of what I like about him.</span><br /><br />What is your favorite book of all time?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My favorite book of all time isn’t a mystery. It’s The Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham. It’s about someone trying to make sense of the world and where they fit into everything, which is something I relate to and which also comes through in Bobby’s character. Another favorite book is Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. I like revenge stories and that’s the revenge story to end all revenge stories. My favorite mystery would probably be Chandler’s The Long Goodbye. Just so good.</span><br /><br />What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your novels?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There’s a lot of good things, but if I had to pick one it’s getting to know people in the writing community. I’ve met a lot of terrific people. I’ve made some good friends and what more can you ask for? And I feel like there’s almost no state that I can’t go to and have dinner with someone. Someone maybe I’ve met already in person or someone that I only know online. That’s pretty cool. And it goes for some foreign countries too. </span><br /><br />What are you working on now?</font></h4><h4><font face="arial" size="5"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I have several things going. I’m working on the third novel in my Duke Rogers series that began with White Heat and Broken Windows. I’m also working on a stand-alone that’s set in New York City. I’m known, to the extent that I’m “known,” as an LA writer. But I write things in other locales too. And I’m really excited about this NY novel. I think it’s pretty high concept and can’t wait to finish it. I’ve also had a series of stories running in Ellery Queen—the Howard Hamm stories—and I’m working on a new one in that series, which I hope they’ll like. Have recently completed a couple of short stories for anthologies. So there’s always something happening.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Paul D. Marks is the author of the Shamus Award-Winning mystery-thriller </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">White Heat</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Publishers Weekly calls </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">White Heat</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> a “taut crime yarn”. Betty Webb of </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Mystery Scene Magazine</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> calls its sequel </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Broken Windows</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> “Extraordinary”. His short story “Ghosts of Bunker Hill” was voted #1 in the 2016 </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Readers Award. And “Fade-Out on Bunker Hill” came in second in the 2020 Ellery Queen Readers Poll. “Windward” was selected for the </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Best American Mystery Stories of 2018</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, and won the 2018 Macavity Award for Best Short Story. He has written four novels, co-edited two anthologies and written countless short stories, including many award winners and nominees. His short fiction has been published in </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, Akashic’s Noir series (St. Louis), </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Hardboiled, Switchblade, Mystery Weekly</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, and many others. He has served on the boards of the Los Angeles chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. </span></font></h4>
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</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-40558032826799584242020-07-13T08:00:00.000-07:002020-07-13T09:34:12.258-07:00Interview with Barbara Nickless<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.barbaranickless.com/" target="_blank">Barbara Nickless</a> joins us today to talk about her novel, Gone to Darkness. </i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where did you get the idea for GONE TO DARKNESS? How did you know that was the book you wanted to write?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My publisher and I had agreed that we would transition Sydney and her K9 partner from the railroads, where they’d been cops through the first three books in the series, and officially into homicide investigations with Denver PD. As I considered ideas for Sydney’s introduction into Denver’s Major Crimes Unit, I decided to follow the advice of science fiction writer Damon Knight. Knight recommended creating a story by blending together two different ideas. In the case of GONE TO DARKNESS, I pursued three threads that had piqued my interest during my regular reading. First was the idea of our great silent underworld of workers—mostly women—many of whom are farm laborers or night-shift janitors or who work at meat packing plants. They are often voiceless and sometimes abused. I threaded that with the world of pickup artists, asking myself: what if a certain kind of man got tired of the seduction game and decided to simply take what he wanted? And finally, because a friend had introduced me to graphic novels, I plumbed the world of Comicsgate, a campaign meant to keep women out of comic book publishing.</span></div>
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For readers who may be new to your work, please briefly introduce us to Sydney Rose Parnell.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sydney is a former Marine who served in Iraq in Mortuary Affairs, processing the bodies of the dead. Her struggle with PTSD was born out of my own post-traumatic suffering. Creating her character and writing her story became a way for me to work my way through the darkness.</span></div>
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<b>What made you decide to have Sydney be a railroad cop at the series' inception?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was looking for a twist on the usual police procedural, and when I learned that there are modern-day hobos and modern-day railroad cops—and that these cops have the same jurisprudence as traditional police, I had what I was looking for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The scenario I create in my books is that after Sydney returned home from the war, she wanted nothing more than to be as far away from people as she could while still earning a living wage. Because she comes from a long line of railroaders, she went through the police academy and signed on as a railroad cop—or a bull in hobo parlance. She figured working a territory that is 100 feet wide and 35,000 miles long, dealing with nothing but freight, would be perfect. And it was. Until the first body showed up.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who or what was the inspiration for Sydney's canine partner Clyde? How did you approach researching how a canine partner would work?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My deep dive into understanding post-traumatic stress inevitably led me to learn about veterans, the group of people we most associate with PTSD. That, in turn, led me to military working dogs like Clyde. Dogs suffer from PTS just like humans, and I thought it would be good if Sydney had a partner to lean on, a partner who could also lean on her. It was a struggle for them at first. Clyde barely tolerated Sydney—he was still emotionally attached to his handler back in Iraq. I had a lot of fun developing their bond, as strong as any human-to-human connection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once I decided to give Sydney a K9 partner, I interviewed several police K9 handlers as well as reading everything I could. At one point I spoke with an instructor from the Air Force Academy and asked if I could meet the dogs and the handlers, maybe learn a few tricks. Picture Dwayne Johnson—aka The Rock—folding his arms and staring down at you with icy eyes. “I could show you, ma’am,” he said. “But then I’d have to kill you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So maybe I wasn’t quite ready to die for the cause. Instead, I was scheduled to meet with the handler and see the dogs at another air force base. Then the pandemic struck. Fortunately, I knew the owner of Mountain High Service Dogs, and Candy became an invaluable resource.</span></div>
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<b>GONE TO DARKNESS is your fourth thriller featuring Sydney. How do you keep your series fresh?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a writer, I’m definitely not interested in wash, rinse, repeat. Each book has required a different approach and created new challenges. I went full gonzo with the third book, stepping away from traditional mystery and writing a homage to one of my favorite TV series, <i>Homeland</i>. It was so much fun ramping up the thriller aspects of the story. </span></div>
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<b>If your Sydney was actually a real person, would you be friends with them? Why or why not? Would you like to have a Clyde of your own?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">First of all, I definitely couldn’t keep up with Sydney if we were to sit down together in a bar—and I’m not saying that’s how I define friendship, although it seems to be one of my favorite activities. With Sydney, I’d be the first to pass out, and she’d trundle me into her car and make sure I got safely home. And that would be the end of our relationship. On the other hand, we share a love of good books and a strong conscience. So maybe she’d forgive for being a lightweight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As for having a dog like Clyde, that’s a great question. Clyde is a Belgian Malinois, and these dogs require a very committed handler/partner/owner. They’re incredibly smart and have a very strong prey drive—which means anything, including your favorite shoes or the screen door—are game. There’s a reason they’re called “maligators.” Another great saying is, “Pride goeth before a Mal.” So as much as I love and admire dogs like Clyde, I know when I’ve met my match.</span></div>
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<b>What was the last mystery novel you read, other than your own, that you LOVED? Why did you love it?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Attica Locke’s <i>Black Water Rising</i>. I love when a story is driven by the decisions the characters make—decisions that feel inevitable because the character is so fully fleshed. Even when we want to take the character by the shoulders and shake them for making bad decisions, we understand completely. And we’ll follow them anywhere. The hero of <i>Black Water Rising</i>, Jay Porter, is someone who just wants to be a good husband and make enough money as a small-time lawyer to support his growing family. He wants, simply, to be a good man. But events conspire to lead him astray. Give me a novel with a sense of moral urgency and I’m happy.</span></div>
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What is your favorite book of all time?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now <i>that </i>is the hardest question of all. I’ve read thousands of books, and many of them affected me deeply. So just one?<i> </i>I’ll stick with the mystery/thriller genre and say <i>Gorky Park</i>. The conflicted and morally-driven character of Arkady Renko, set in motion by an intricate plot, and working in the dangerous world of the Soviet Union during the Cold War—perfection! Of course, there’s also <i>The Constant Gardener </i>(John le Carré), <i>Mystic River </i>(Dennis Lehane) and <i>Smilla’s Sense of Snow </i>(Peter Hoeg), all of which have wonderfully developed characters and a sense of moral urgency.</span></div>
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<b>What are you working on now?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sydney and Clyde get to take a break while I write a spin-off novel based on a character introduced in GONE TO DARKNESS<i>. </i>Evan Wilding is a forensic semiotician—he studies the signs, symbols, and writing left at crime scenes. With that evidence, he builds a profile of the suspect. His regular gig—aside from working as a college professor—is helping Chicago PD with their most difficult cases. He also consults with the alphabet soup of intelligence agencies—the FBI, CIA, NSA, and so on.</span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-82808827125194774942020-07-10T05:37:00.000-07:002020-07-10T05:37:16.092-07:00The Corpse with the Crystal Skull by Cathy Ace and the Jamaican Ginger Kicker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cathyace.com/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Cathy Ace</a><i> joins us today to tell us about her novel, The Corpse with the Crystal Skull and match it with the perfect drink. Cathy is one of our favorite authors here at Mystery Playground and we're thrilled that's she's back with us today. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cathyace.com/cait-morgan-mysteries" target="_blank">The Corpse with the Crystal Skull</a> is the ninth Cait Morgan Mystery, and this time Cait is in Jamaica, celebrating her 50<sup>th</sup> birthday with her husband Bud. They’re staying at a luxurious private estate owned by the eccentric Freddie Burkinshaw, who is discovered shot to death in an inaccessible room at the top of a tower reputedly built by Cait’s namesake, Sir Henry Morgan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thus begins a tale that becomes increasingly complex, and mysterious. Cait has to grapple with her conscience as she’s forced to consider people she counts among her tiny group of friends as suspects; there’s the thrill of hunting down lost treasure; some shenanigans involving hidden passages, and a high-security task Bud’s been sent to Jamaica to undertake, aided by his secret-service colleagues. It’s complicated. Ian Fleming has a few things to answer for, and there’s more than a walk-on role for an ageing Italian movie star. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyone who’s read a Cait Morgan Mystery knows Cait enjoys a drink, and in Jamaica she’s spoiled for choice. She’s become mildly addicted to a grapefruit-flavoured soda called Ting, which she sometimes adds to gin – but she usually resets to her standard gin and tonic for the evenings. But something she invented during her time in Jamaica is a drink she calls the <b><i>Jamaican Ginger Kicker</i></b>. Inspired by the Moscow Mule, Cait took vodka, added a splash of pineapple soda for a little sweetness, then added real Jamaican ginger beer (yes, Jamaican ginger beer has a specific flavour – it’s spicy! – and, yes, it’s worth getting the real thing). The full recipe appears below – you might want to try one of these when the weather is hot, you settle down with a good book (maybe even this one, to get the entire beach-side vibe), and you need something long and refreshing. It’s got some bite, but the pineapple adds depth, and sweetness. Lime is an essential ingredient – you certainly need one to squeeze into the drink, and maybe another, for decoration. Cheers, folks!</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Large glass, with ice cubes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 measure of vodka</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://gracefoods.ca/product/island-soda" target="_blank">Splash of Grace brand Island Soda Pineapple</a> (add to taste)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bottle of Grace brand Island Soda Ginger Beer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Squeeze one LARGE wedge of lime into the drink, add a small one for garnish (garnish is your choice!)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Tip: put your ginger beer, pineapple soda, and vodka in the fridge to chill beforehand)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(NOTE: <a href="https://www.crystalheadvodka.com/home" target="_blank">Crystal Head vodka</a> – shown in the photograph – is made in Newfoundland, Canada, and was the “brainchild” of the actor Dan Ackroyd. It’s a peaches-and-cream corn-based vodka, which this author prefers it for its pure, clean flavour. And the bottle, designed by artist John Alexander, is spectacular!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ABOUT THE BOOK: Welsh Canadian globetrotting sleuth, and professor of criminal psychology, Cait Morgan, is supposed to be “celebrating” her fiftieth birthday in Jamaica with her ex-cop husband Bud Anderson. But when the body of the luxury estate’s owner is discovered locked inside an inaccessible tower, Cait and her fellow guests must work out who might have killed him – even if his murder seems impossible. Could the death of the man who hosted parties in the 1960s attended by Ian Fleming and Noël Coward be somehow linked to treasure the legendary Captain Henry Morgan might have buried at the estate? Or to the mission Bud and his secret service colleagues have been sent to the island to undertake?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can find Cathy on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cathy-Ace-Author-318388861616661/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and on Twitter @AceCathy. </span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-11683364947996668832020-07-03T13:21:00.000-07:002020-07-03T13:44:08.138-07:00Nacho Average Murder and The Quarantine Margarita<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The fabulous Edith Maxwell joins us today writing as Maddie Day for a fabulous quarantine cocktail to celebrate her latest Country Store Mystery, Nacho Average Murder. And one lucky reader (US residents only) can win a copy of the book. to enter just comment below naming your favorite warm weather drink. Now let's hear about Nacho Average Murder.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robbie Jordan, who normally lives, works, and cooks in southern Indiana, loved being back in her hometown of Santa Barbara for her high school reunion. And I loved putting her there. She indulged in eating avocado huevos rancheros, quesadillas, artichokes, and of course nachos. What better drink to accompany that kind of food than a margarita?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know the best margarita recipes include fresh-squeezed lime juice and Cointreau or Grand Mariner with the tequila. Uh-oh. I didn’t have either enough fresh limes or an orange liqueur. But you know what? During a time of quarantine, we make do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I make the drink, I like to use a dollop of frozen limeade. It’s quick, easy, cold, and already sweet – and I had some in the freezer. I also had tequila in the liquor cabinet. In lieu of an orange liqueur, I thought I’d see how the Cardamaro my son brought me from Italy would work in the drink. You might know Amaro, but here’s the description of Cardamaro: “A wine-based aperitif, infused with cardoon and blessed thistle (two artichoke relatives), then aged in oak. The result has the richness and weight of sweet vermouth, and only a gentle herbal bitterness.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artichoke? Works for me, and it worked for the drink. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Quarantine Margarita<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For one drink, mix in a tumbler or shaker:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 ounces (1/4 cup) frozen limeade (yes, scoop it right from the can)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 ounces tequila of your choice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 tablespoon Cardamaro (or any orange liqueur)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sprinkle kosher salt on a plate. Wet the rim of a pretty Mexican glass and press it upside down onto the salt. Decant the drink contents, straining out the ice, from the tumbler or shaker into the salted glass. Stick a slice of lime on the rim and enjoy a mystery set in Santa Barbara!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Readers</b>: What’s your favorite warm-weather drink? I’d love to send one of you (US only) a singed copy of the book!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Agatha Award-winning author Edith Maxwell writes the Quaker Midwife Mysteries and multi-published short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she pens the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. With twenty-one books in print and more in production, Maxwell/Day lives north of Boston, where she writes, gardens, and cooks. Find her at <a href="https://edithmaxwell.com/maddie-day/"><span style="color: blue;">Maddie Day Author</span></a> and as @MaddieDayAuthor on social media.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nacho-Average-Murder-Country-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07R4Q5GBQ"><span style="color: blue;">Nacho Average Murder,</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span>Robbie Jordan temporarily leaves Pans ’N Pancakes, her country store in South Lick, Indiana, to visit Santa Barbara—where wildfire smoke tinges the air, but a more immediate danger may lie in wait.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While looking forward to her high school reunion back in California, Robbie Jordan’s anticipation is complicated by memories of her mother’s untimely death. At first, she has fun hanging out with her old classmates and reuniting with the local flavors—avocados, citrus, fish, and spicy Cali-Mex dishes. But when she gets wind of rumors that her mother, an environmental activist, may not have died of natural causes, Robbie enlists old friends to clear the smoke surrounding the mystery. But what she finds could make it hard to get back to Indiana alive . . .</span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-51466277235346695302020-05-08T04:00:00.000-07:002020-05-08T04:00:00.608-07:00The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense and the Violet Hour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The new collection </i><a href="http://www.crippenlandru.com/shop/oscommerce-2.3.4/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=161&osCsid=3a5a32906e16b6230a1939bdd7fd9b86"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;">The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense</span></a> <i>(Crippen & Landru) gathers sixteen stories by </i><a href="http://www.arttaylorwriter.com/"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;"><i>Art Taylor</i></span></a><i>—among them stories which have won a dozen of the mystery genre’s leading awards, including the Edgar, the Anthony, and multiple Agatha, Derringer, and Macavity Awards. Recently, another of Art’s stories—“Better Days” from </i>Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine<i>—was named a finalist for this year’s </i><a href="http://malicedomestic.org/agathas.html"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;"><i>Agatha Award for Best Short Story</i></span></a><i> </i>(read all the nominated stories at that link).<i> Last year, Art wrote </i><a href="http://www.mysteryplayground.net/2019/05/drinks-with-reads-better-days-and-sun.html"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;"><i>a Drinks with Reads post for “Better Days”</i></span></a><i>, and today he offers another cocktail to accompany his new collection. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sixteen stories in <i>The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense</i> cover more than twenty-five years of my writing career. Needless to say, re-reading those stories myself offered opportunities for reflection about that quarter-century of work—where I started as a writer, where I’ve evolved, and where (hopefully) I’ve improved. Some of the individual stories seemed reflective themselves: characters thinking about their lives, pondering existential issues, debating hard choices. The title story especially is steeped in nostalgia, swirled with a bit of melancholy, and topped with a dollop of regret.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The cocktail I’ve chosen to accompany <i>The Boy Detective</i> is called the Violet Hour. I know of at least two mentions of that phrase in books on my shelf. In <i>The Hour: A Cocktail Manifesto</i>, Bernard DeVoto writes about the martini being suited to “the violet hour, the hour of hush and wonder, when the affections glow and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn.” And in Ian Fleming’s <i>Casino Royale</i>, James Bond christens his famous version of the martini as The Vesper: “It sounds perfect and it’s very appropriate to the violet hour when my cocktail will now be drunk all over the world.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While each of those references refer to gin drinks and speak specifically to early evening—day easing toward night—the Violet Hour recipe below is bourbon-based and a drink I would more strongly recommend as a nightcap alongside some late-night reflections of your own: your senses settling, your mind wandering, memories tiptoeing around the edges of your thoughts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My friend Brandon Wicks introduced me to this drink. I’m not certain of its origins, and Googling “Violet Hour cocktail” will turn up several other cocktails with markedly different ingredients. But this specific recipe has become a regular at our house, and I’m glad to share it here.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Violet Hour</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 oz. bourbon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.75 oz. sweet vermouth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.25 oz. dry vermouth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.10 oz. blackstrap rum (a little over half a teaspoon)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 dashes old-fashioned bitters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Build in a single old-fashioned glass with no ice. Stir.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Serve at room temperature. No garnish.</span></div>
Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-6971016713890718992020-05-01T06:58:00.000-07:002020-05-01T06:58:05.003-07:00Here Come the Body and The NY Sour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Today we celebrate the first book in the Catering Hall Mystery series, Here Comes the Body. Written by long-time Mystery Playground fan favorite, Ellen Byron as Maria DiRico, Here Comes the Body, delivers a catering packed punch and a great drink below.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In <b>Here Comes the Body</b>, the first Catering Hall Mystery from Maria DiRico, Mia Carina moves back home to Queens after being cleared as a person of interest in her husband’s presumed death. She’s there to help her father Ravello, a capo with the Boldoni crime family, turn a rundown banquet hall that was surrendered to him by a broke gambler into a successful, legitimate enterprise. Mia has always wanted her father to go straight and she’s determined to help succeed. But who knew working for a catering hall could be as dangerous as working for the Mob?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many is the night Mia comes home in need of a drink. Being a Big Apple native, even if she’s an outer borough girl, she turns to local recipes, like this one…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE NEW YORK SOUR</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 oz. rye or bourbon whiskey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 oz. fresh lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 oz. simple syrup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">½ oz. fruity red wine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Directions:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Combine the rye or bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass that’s filled with fresh ice. Slowly and carefully poor the wine over the back of a spoon held just above the drink's surface so wine floats on top.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Recipe by Mary-Frances Heck, Bon Appetit</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><b>BIO:</b> </span>Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won an Agatha award and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. Her new series, the Catering Hall Mysteries, written as Maria DiRico, was inspired by her real life. She’s an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. But her most impressive credit is working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-26015368630809359942020-04-28T04:00:00.000-07:002020-04-28T04:00:16.893-07:00Review: Paul Levine's Cheater's Game<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Mary Putnam takes a break from her usual <a href="http://www.mysteryplayground.net/2016/06/mug-shot-drinkware.html" target="_blank">crafty creations</a> and literary <a href="http://www.mysteryplayground.net/2015/09/drinks-with-reads-replacements-and.html" target="_blank">libations</a> to review Paul Levine's Cheater's Game today. Let's hear what she has to day...</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Paul Levine's CHEATER'S GAME, book 14 in his series of Jake Lassiter legal thrillers (to be released on April 20, 2020), struck a chord with me on many happy levels even though I'd not previously read any of Paul's books. Before I delve into the details, a few disclaimers:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer #1: Although I'd not met his characters before, I have had the pleasure of meeting Paul a few times at various mystery conferences and events. Also, I received a copy of this book for free. I've done my best to write a fair and unbiased review.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer #2: It's April 14 of 2020 and I've not left my house since a month ago--Friday the 13th!--due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Of course the world is not the same since I read this book, while on a cruise ship the first week in March. So the lens through which I'm seeing everything at the moment is a bit skewed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope we'll all persevere and find humor in a variety of non-ideal situations, like the novel's hero, Jake Lassiter, does often. For example, as Jake grapples with his own medical challenges he observes: "I'm sure doctors invented hospital gowns to embarrass patients so completely that they'll be more amenable to following orders." (I'm also noticing you can't say "embarrass" without saying "bare-ass" -- coincidence? -- I think not.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the story unfolds, the author deftly illuminates various themes and topics "ripped from the headlines" (e.g. the college admissions scandal and football head injuries) as well as timeless questions like: "How can I convince my kid of anything while he thinks he knows more than me?"</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jake's character is well-drawn and well-balanced; not too perfect so as to become a caricature (as happens in some thrillers!) yet not so flawed we don't believe he has a chance of succeeding in his mission to save his nephew, Kip, from himself. I'm a sucker for an underdog, and also for a guy who's secure enough to NOT be intimidated by a strong and/or smart woman, so I enjoyed the relationship between Jake and his super-smart fiancee, Dr. Melissa Gold. They make a great team, struggling to help the still-very-much-a-kid Kip, who's smart on many counts--except seeing that he needs help.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I agree with Michael Connelly who called CHEATER'S GAME: "Clever, funny and on point when it comes to the inequities of society and the justice system." My favorite books enlighten while they entertain. This does both while talking the reader on a fun ride with surprising plot twists, a tour of sunny Florida and parts of California, and even some tasty food. Yum!</span></span></div>
Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-63039146570961985622020-04-24T05:14:00.000-07:002020-04-24T05:14:01.160-07:00The Lost Boys of London and #Cocktails <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWu-qMwMuMm4mt3nL0ML9DNEF33gDRPPG59IdlNGKH96VXh-zRdc8pazDQjCaN2xPWRSAmjvwH0pKB3o7R3s9oUlebaWlSNy6MWhgoeySdmDAx_5vqbDMTFQU15R4cjII8wnypKBMVLaE/s1600/MLawrenceDandR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWu-qMwMuMm4mt3nL0ML9DNEF33gDRPPG59IdlNGKH96VXh-zRdc8pazDQjCaN2xPWRSAmjvwH0pKB3o7R3s9oUlebaWlSNy6MWhgoeySdmDAx_5vqbDMTFQU15R4cjII8wnypKBMVLaE/s640/MLawrenceDandR.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>We welcome Mary Lawrence to Mystery Playground to introduce her new novel, The Lost Boys of London. This is the 5th book in the Bianca Goddard Mysteries. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I’m celebrating the upcoming release (April 28) of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-London-Bianca-Goddard-Mystery/dp/1496715330%20https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lost-boys-of-london-mary-lawrence/1132251035#/" target="_blank"><b>The Lost Boys of London—</b>a Bianca Goddard Mystery</a>.<b> </b>The series features the daughter of an infamous alchemist who uses her wits and a bit of alchemy to solve murders in the slums of London during King Henry VIII’s reign.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the <b>Lost Boys of London</b>, Bianca's husband is fighting the Scottish rebellion while Bianca remains in London creating medicines for the sick. When a boy is found hanging from a church dripstone Bianca is consulted about a sole piece of evidence--a sweet-smelling cloth. Bianca suspects the murder may not be an act of impulse, but something far more calculated. And when her young acquaintance, Fisk, goes missing, Bianca fears he may become the next lost boy...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I chose the <b>Smirking Priest Gimlet </b>to go with my latest book. The name came up on a cocktail drink name generator but I couldn’t find a recipe so I conjured my own. I took a basic gimlet and added a touch of red—appropriate for a murder mystery. Enjoy this while you read about some dastardly priests working at cross purposes in <b>The Lost Boys of London</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The priest at St. Benet’s, Father Wells, began each day with a meal of poached quail eggs. While he waited to be served, he studied the silvery gray light outside his window, which overlooked a long stretch of enclosed garden—alas, still dormant and showing no signs of waking. The overcast sky promised another dreary day, and he felt his mood adversely affected. It made him think—why was it that one associated sunshine with a sanguine disposition? He tapped his spoon on the table as he considered this, then the spoon stopped midair. Likely, it was because sunshine was so uncommon. It was like a gift from God every time colors were lit to their full intensity. He nodded, content with his explanation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Finally, his meal arrived. The platter was lowered in front of him and his wine refreshed. His cook had arranged the twelve eggs—one for each disciple—around the periphery of the plate; an artful attempt to symbolize the seating at the Last Supper. In the center was a slice of bread, toasted lightly on one side—Jesus. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He scooped up an egg and deposited it on one corner of the toast, then raised it level with his mouth. “Peter,” he said, naming the first apostle, and he bit off the corner. With each successive egg he named a disciple and ate “him” along with “Jesus,” saving “Judas Iscariot” for last, taking the time to bite “Judas” in half and watch his little yolk bleed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">SMIRKING PRIEST GIMLET RECIPE:</span></b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 ounces fine Gin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 ounce Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 teaspoon Pomegranate Juice</span></li>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a shaker with ice combine the gin and lime juice. Shake for a minute. Strain into a chilled glass. Drizzle in a teaspoon of pomegranate juice which will sink to the bottom to look like a spot of blood. Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-35060091199516887232020-04-11T10:30:00.000-07:002020-04-11T10:30:03.334-07:00Poetry Month: Florida Man<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">April is Poetry Month so every Saturday we are featuring one of the poems from Gerald So's crime poetry site, the 5-2. The poem "Florida Man" by Peter M. Gordon just struck me, so I had to share it. The author of "Florida Man", </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Peter M. Gordon, </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">has published over 100 poems in publications such as </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Slipstream</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, the </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Journal of Florida Literature</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Poetry Breakfast</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, and others. He is the author of two collections: </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Two Car Garage</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> and </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Let's Play Two: Poems about Baseball</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">. Peter earned a BA from Yale and MFA from </span>Carnegie-Mellon,<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> and teaches in Full Sail University's Film Production MFA program.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;">- Deborah Lacy</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">FLORIDA MAN by Peter M. Gordon</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">When breathing air feels like drinking swamp water</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">and sweat falls unevaporated to sizzle on sidewalks</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Florida Man emerges, to start a fight in a pizza joint</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">when wrong cheese is applied to his garlic knots.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Florida Man provides pot and ecstasy to reward his</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">children for good grades. Florida Man writes his cell</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">phone number and address on the stickup note to</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">make it easy for the teller to send more money after</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">the robbery. Only Florida Man snorts bath salts and meth,</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">walks next door to bludgeon his neighbors and eat their flesh</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">raw, in their driveway, where everyone can see him.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Perhaps it’s this thumb-shaped peninsula’s fault, the</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">right-angled thrust into the Atlantic that causes lightning</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">to clash over its center, illuminating all our dark places,</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">that makes us all a little bit Florida Man, waiting for the</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">weight of sin to sink our sandbar into primordial swamp.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Here Peter is reading his poem. </span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lx9mYl_3jaI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lx9mYl_3jaI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<style type="text/css"> p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style>Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-17110184744515951092020-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:002020-04-10T05:00:13.044-07:00Ed Ruggero and Blame the Dead<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://edruggero.com/" target="_blank">Ed Ruggero</a> joins us today on Drinks with Reads to celebrate his new thriller, Blame the Dead with a drink called the Sicilian '43. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Blame the Dead</i></b> is a thriller set against the chaotic background of the World War Two Allied invasion of Sicily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Former Philadelphia beat cop Eddie </span>Harkins is not surprised when the Army makes him a Military Policeman; he is surprised when, in the bloody summer of 1943, he is tapped to figure out who gunned down a surgeon in a US Army field hospital. Harkins, who has spent his Army time hauling in drunken GIs and breaking up traffic jams, has never worked a homicide. The lurching start to his investigation proves he is in over his head, but Harkins is not one to back down from a fight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cooperation is hard to come by in part because the victim—who was universally despised—bullied and tormented nurses. Harkins hears, “He got what was coming to him,” so often he stops scribbling the response in his notebook. Harkins’ low rank bestows little authority in his battles with the hospital commander, who is hiding bigger sins in his camp. Then, just when Harkins is starting to drag some facts from the chaos, a key witness is shot to death. Meanwhile the flood of broken bodies never slows as the hospital leapfrogs forward just behind the battlefront. Harkins is exhausted and demoralized, clueless, filthy, and far from home, and everyone is struck dumb by the heat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>The </b></span><b>Sicilian ‘43</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eddie Harkins and his fellow soldiers would have been thrilled to get their hands on a cool drink, especially one with impossible-to-find ice. Creating this beauty of a cocktail in wartime would have been challenging; but with a thriving black-market, the more inventive and determined GIs might have made a go of it. The inspiration for this cocktail comes from Sicily’s orange and lemon orchards, and the name is a variation on the “French 75,” a cocktail that gets its name from the French 75mm field gun of World War One. The Sicilian 43 is a nod to the land where the Allies first cracked the walls of Hitler’s “Fortress Europe.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 oz fresh blood orange juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 and ½ oz gin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">½ oz Maraschino Liqueur</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">¼ oz Amaro Averna (an Amaro from Sicily is best; it’s a bitter liquor like Campari, easy to find, but Campari would also work as a substitute)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2-3 oz Prosecco</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Orange twist </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Combine orange juice, gin, maraschino, and Averna in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass and top with Prosecco. Garnish orange twist. Drink a toast to Victory in Europe!</span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-72582776580457656902020-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:002020-03-27T09:25:48.312-07:00Rum Coolers and Murder at the Taffy Shop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; caret-color: rgb(67, 67, 67); color: #434343;"><i>Agatha and Macavity finalist <a href="http://edithmaxwell.com/" target="_blank">Edith Maxwell</a>, author of the Quaker Midwife Mysteries and award-winning short crime fiction joins us today for Drinks with Reads. As Maddie Day she pens the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. With twenty books in print and more in production, Maxwell lives north of Boston, where she writes, gardens, and cooks. Today she's whipping up the Pineapple Run Cooler...and giving away one of her books.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pineapple Rum Cooler</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">In </span><span style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;"><b>Murder at the Taffy Shop</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">, it’s August, full season on Cape Cod, with plentiful sunshine and tourists alike. When Mac Almeida heads out for her early daily walk with her friend, she finds a horrified Gin staring at Beverly Ruchart, an imperious summer person, dead on the sidewalk in front of Gin’s candy shop, Salty Taffy’s.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lots of people wanted Beverly gone. But when the police find the murder weapon in Gin’s garage, the Cozy Capers book group members put their heads together to clear Gin’s name and to figure out who killed the woman whom almost everyone disliked. Mac’s bike shop is vandalized one night, and when the killer later invades her tiny house to finish her off, Bella, Mac’s African Gray parrot, comes to the rescue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mac Almeida’s friend and book group member Zane King owns the only liquor store and distillery in town. He recommends this summer drink to Mac, a perfect cooler for a Cape Cod summer day, using his own King’s Bounty rum. In this version, I use a rum made locally near me north of Boston, but any good rum will do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pineapple Rum Cooler</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pineapple juice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonic water</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lime</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fresh mint</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">For one drink, mix two ounces each of pineapple juice, a good rum, and tonic water. Squeeze half a lime into the drink. Crush a mint sprig and swirl it through the drink. Add more juice if you like it sweeter, or substitute seltzer water for the tonic if you prefer it less sweet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;"><b>Murder at the Taffy Shop</b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">, releasing March 31, is available exclusively in paperback from Barnes & Noble for the first year, then it will be re-released on all platforms and formats. I’m happy to send one commenter here a signed copy of the book(US residents only)!</span></span></div>
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<br />Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-3337311153909937122020-02-07T07:53:00.000-08:002020-02-02T07:59:50.347-08:00The Heartless and A #Giveaway <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Author <a href="https://dwputnam.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">David Putnam</a> has a new book out and his partner-in-crime and wife, Mary, has been making drinks to celebrate. The book is called, The Heartless, and we're giving away FIVE copies of the book to the first five people who comment (US residents only). Let's see what Mary has been cooking up to celebrate David's book...</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">David often gets questions about his main character, Bruno Johnson. As the series began to unfold, I too, asked questions about a character who appeared in, THE DISPOSABLES. His name is Junior, and is the inspiration for this drink.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But before we get to Junior, a note about the name, “Bruno Johnson.” Bruno's an amalgamation of several people David worked with in real life, combined with some elements from his imagination. The name was taken directly from a male but he was a dog, a scrappy wired-haired terrier that belonged to David's childhood friend, Bill.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Earlier this year, our two rescue dogs were joined by a puppy a friend gave us. All the dogs we’ve had in our 25 years together came with names from previous owners or shelters, so our “rookie pup” -- a Queensland heeler -- was the first dog we’ve ever named. A tough (and scrappy) lovable little guy who reminded us of Bruno in the book. So now that name has come full circle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, the big dog in David’s first Bruno book, named Junior, went missing in the story for awhile. I kept pestering David (so did some other fans): “What ever happened to Junior?” Dave finally gives us some answers. In the new book, THE HEARTLESS (release date: Feb 2020), we learn how Junior originally came into their lives and how he got the name “Junior” – short for Junior Mint. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cheers!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if you want a boffo glass to serve it in, check out these <a href="http://www.mysteryplayground.net/2016/06/mug-shot-drinkware.html" target="_blank">super easy instructions to make fabulous bullet hole drink ware</a>. And of course Mary made that too! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Junior Mint</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ingredients (for one 1.5 oz shot)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 oz. Irish Cream</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 oz. Frangelico</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1/2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Optional: Whipped Cream, Chocolate sauce, Junior Mints!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chill glass, decorate with chocolate sauce. Mix booze, top w/whip cream (regular or chocolate) and a junior mint!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Don't forget to comment below because the first five people to comment will win a book from David. We'll need your email address as well so we can get your address. </span></span></div>
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Deborah Lacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04039353669702894900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-52323845060281858862020-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:002020-02-04T05:00:03.256-08:00Review: The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Today Kerry Hammond is throwing caution to the wind and jumping into book three in a new-to-her series.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Book of Candlelight</i> by <a href="https://www.elleryadamsmysteries.com/">Ellery Adams</a> was published on
January 28, in Hardcover, by Kensington Books. It is the 3<sup>rd</sup> book in
the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. I had never heard of this series,
but am always drawn in by a good premise. A book store owner who has a great
group of female friends to help her solve a murder was right up my alley. I
decided to throw caution to the wind and jump in at book three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the book, our protagonist, Nora Pennington, finds herself
knee deep in tourists at her bookshop. The town is experiencing torrential
rains and shoppers are looking for respite, not only in the stacks, but in her café.
One afternoon, she heads to the local flea market to replenish her store’s stock
of knickknacks and ends up buying a beautiful bowl from a local man named Danny,
a Cherokee potter. The day after Nora buys the bowl, she discovers Danny’s body
floating in the river. Nora enlists the help of her friends in the Secret,
Book, and Scone Society to not only try and make sense of Danny’s death, but to
figure out who killed him and why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I could tell that there was more to the backstories of each
of the characters, information that was presumably given in books one and two.
However, I was still able to enjoy the mystery and didn’t feel like I needed to
stop where I was to go back and read the earlier installments. The author gave
me just enough information to allow me to follow along and enjoy the story as
is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I consider the book a cozy mystery, but Nora’s character isn’t
light and fluffy. She’s been through some things in her life that she is still
working out. She’s bonded with her group of friends and shared part of her
secret with them, but there still seems to be more that she’s holding back. I
think this character will grow a lot as the series progresses. I really enjoyed
spending time with the Secret, Book, and Scone Society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This book was provided to Mystery Playground by the
publisher. The review was fair and completely independent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can always find Mystery Playground on Twitter
@mysteryplaygrnd and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MysteryPlayground/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Facebook</span></a>.
You can also follow the blog by clicking the link on the upper right-hand
corner of this webpage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-38841403508196322072020-01-30T05:00:00.000-08:002020-01-30T08:30:28.644-08:00Review: Grace is Gone by Emily Elgar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kerry Hammond is here today with her review of a new novel of psychological suspense with a dark twist.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Grace is Gone </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Emily Elgar was published on January 7, in
Trade Paperback, by Harper Paperbacks. This is Elgar’s second novel of
psychological suspense. Her first, <i>If You Knew Her</i>, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">was well received in both
the UK and the US.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grace is a girl with severe health issues. Wheelchair-bound
and suffering from MS and seizures, she is completely reliant on her mother,
Meg, for her care. Since the two came to town, after escaping Grace’s abusive
father, they have captured the hearts of everyone they meet. They are so loved,
it’s hard to think who would want to hurt them. But someone does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cara, Grace and Meg’s neighbor, discovers Meg, murdered in
her home. Grace is missing, her wheelchair left in the chaos of the crime
scene. The whole town is devastated and fearful for Grace. How will she survive
without her medication? Who would kidnap a helpless child? Where is her father?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love a book that makes you wonder what you might do in a
given situation. Grace’s story really makes the reader think—about the people we
think we know and the truths we choose to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was one of those <i>just one more chapter </i>books. <i>I’ll go
to bed after I read just one more chapter</i>. Much like a thriller, you think you know where the book is going, but you want to see how it gets there and what
surprises will be laid out along the way, and trust me, there were surprises. The book was told in alternating
chapters from two different points of view, but the reader also got glimpses
into Grace’s life through her journal entries. It was well written and I had a
hard time putting it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This book was provided to Mystery Playground by the
publisher. The review was fair and completely independent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can always find Mystery Playground on Twitter
@mysteryplaygrnd and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MysteryPlayground/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</span></a>.
You can also follow the blog by clicking the link on the upper right-hand
corner of this webpage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-61892215379168575762020-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:002020-03-16T10:26:07.526-07:00Sherlock Holmes and Reichenbach Falls<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kerry Hammond visited Switzerland and came across a Sherlock Holmes gem.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are you one of those mystery lovers who goes on vacation and
tries to find sights to see that relate to your favorite books? No….is that
just me? Well, I have to admit that on a recent visit to Switzerland, I was too
busy dreaming of fondue and raclette to even think about mysteries—other than
the books I would bring to read. Luckily, I spoke to a friend on the phone
prior to my flight. “Are you going to Reichenbach Falls?” she asked. “Reichenbach
Falls? The one Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty fell from?” I asked. “That’s in
Switzerland?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I may have been slow in realizing I was near an iconic
Sherlock Holmes sight, but once I found out, I wasted no time planning a visit.
The town of Meiringen, Switzerland was one of the highlights of my trip. They
had a wonderful Sherlock Holmes museum, full of period artifacts and references
to Sherlock’s trip through the Swiss Alps. They even have a couple of sculptures
out front, and the one of Holmes is filled with 60 hidden clues, one for each
of the detective’s cases. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hotel where Holmes and Watson stayed is still standing
(although the name has changed) and several other places in town have used the famous
detective’s name on their doors. The references are in no way overdone, and the
visit was well worth it. The tram to the falls is closed in wintertime, but I
view that as just another reason to come back during warmer weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6d8v2ujRLgrk2jEnhyphenhyphen65N6Q5vHh2daQKUYfDg__xGZ7MiL6H7FIVQEQXzFBGyFWmoE46CDyAIKOvrdaNJ3YpLJhk9vwpt30anARCHPB-fsW-aDz_hJZDMcCNMRpb9TeVKHg_Yc4sRtc/s1600/IMG_9482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6d8v2ujRLgrk2jEnhyphenhyphen65N6Q5vHh2daQKUYfDg__xGZ7MiL6H7FIVQEQXzFBGyFWmoE46CDyAIKOvrdaNJ3YpLJhk9vwpt30anARCHPB-fsW-aDz_hJZDMcCNMRpb9TeVKHg_Yc4sRtc/s640/IMG_9482.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What’s your favorite mystery related vacation visit?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-67932993318631553642020-01-22T05:00:00.000-08:002020-01-22T05:00:16.841-08:00Review: Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kerry Hammond is here with her review of a new cozy series set in Ireland.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Dead in Dublin</i> by Catie Murphy is the first book in the
author’s new series, which features Megan Malone, a limo driver whose American
heritage gives her a unique take on Ireland. The book was published on December
31, 2019, in Mass Market Paperback, by Kensington Books. The second in the series, <i>Death on the
Green</i>, is due out this September.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m always in search of a good cozy mystery series and this
one rates high on my scale of worthy contenders. A good cozy mystery is heavy
on character development, but if you have a boring plot you won’t get the book
off the ground. In <i>Dead in Dublin</i>, I first fell in love with the characters. Murphy
does a great job of writing interesting characters, making them both vivid and
three dimensional. But it doesn’t stop there, the author has created not only
an interesting mystery, but managed to take me on a journey of confusion as I
followed along, trying to solve the puzzle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I didn’t solve the mystery, and that suits me just fine. I
love a good surprise ending and I got just that; it was a plausible and
satisfying end to a great story. As an added bonus, the author takes you on a
fun trip to Ireland. If you’ve never visited, you get to enjoy a few bits and
pieces of local culture and color. If you have visited, you are reminded of
some of the interesting qualities you experienced on your trip, from the
pronunciation of words to the fun quirks of the Irish. It’s armchair traveling
at its best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re a cozy mystery fan, this is a great read. I’m glad
that I got in on the ground floor, starting at book one. It’s always fun to
read series books in order so that you can get to know the characters as they
change and grow. I will definitely continue reading this series!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This book was provided to Mystery Playground by the
publisher. The review was fair and completely independent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can always find Mystery Playground on Twitter
@mysteryplaygrnd and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MysteryPlayground/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Facebook</span></a>.
You can also follow the blog by clicking the link on the upper right-hand
corner of this webpage. </span></div>
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Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-85490362967241236812020-01-21T03:00:00.000-08:002020-01-21T13:25:38.491-08:00The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot & A Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEav2kdIIw1o9ddN7WKi5E80h331Nr2RnPK6-d5RYaPgCePjmh5JHuBWuKUYvq2GrBJIwE2h4wxMPCVL4Adx0wijroX91axoY7JhLr_2PebRhjGyOtgyy8Ssh64wheKfzWs_a7HOko6II/s1600/Elliot_TheLastSister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="503" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEav2kdIIw1o9ddN7WKi5E80h331Nr2RnPK6-d5RYaPgCePjmh5JHuBWuKUYvq2GrBJIwE2h4wxMPCVL4Adx0wijroX91axoY7JhLr_2PebRhjGyOtgyy8Ssh64wheKfzWs_a7HOko6II/s640/Elliot_TheLastSister.jpg" width="424" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">Today Kerry Hammond reviews </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Last Sister <i>by Kendra Elliot, and we have a great giveaway. By commenting below you could get a copy of </i>The Last Sister<i>, and Kendra's previous </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">bestsellers, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vanished</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Merciful Death</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">. Just comment below to enter, US residents only. We'll pick a winner next Saturday. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">And now for Kerry's review...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Last Sister</i> by <a href="https://www.kendraelliot.com/home/">Kendra Elliot </a>was published on January
14, in Hardcover, by Montlake. Elliot is the award-winning author of several mystery
series that take place in the Pacific Northwest. The characters she creates,
and her readers fall in love with, often cross over from series to series,
allowing her fans to get their fix of their favorites in each and every book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In <i>The Last Sister</i>, Elliot starts a new series with FBI
agents Zander Wells and Ava McLane. Both agents arrive in the town of
Bartonville to investigate the suspected murder-suicide of two of the town’s
citizens. It doesn’t take long for the agents to determine that what they’re
looking at is murder, and that many of the townspeople know more than they’re
saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the investigation continues, Zander finds a correlation
between the current murders and a hanging that took place two decades earlier.
He also finds out that the woman who found the bodies was the daughter of the victim
of that old crime. He’s not sure how she is connected to each scene, but he’s
sure that she is a link that could lead him to discovering the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was my first experience with Zander Wells and I
instantly liked his character. He is diligent, hard-working, and dedicated
to finding the truth. I often read a book for the setting—what better way to
visit a place and get a sense of its character than to read a mystery? Elliot,
who hails from the Pacific Northwest, takes advantage of everything her locale
has to offer. The area can be rugged, mysterious, and unrelenting and the
climate lends itself to the suspense genre. The author definitely makes the
most of the setting and her stories have an atmospheric quality that adds to
the great plots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Don't forget to comment below with your name and email address to be eligible for the giveaway for one person to get three Kendra Elliot books. </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>The Last Sister is on blog tour with gifts at almost every stop. <a href="https://www.kendraelliot.com/the-last-sister-blog-tour-release-day-january-14/" target="_blank">You can check out the blog tour here</a>. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You can find Kendra on social media </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><a class="ydp8959050dyiv8244885060" href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKendraElliot" style="color: #3c61aa;" target="_blank">@AuthorKendraElliot</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> (Facebook), </span><a class="ydp8959050dyiv8244885060" href="https://twitter.com/kendraelliot" style="color: #3c61aa;" target="_blank">@KendraElliot</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> (Twitter), </span><a class="ydp8959050dyiv8244885060" href="https://www.instagram.com/kendraelliot/" style="color: #3c61aa;" target="_blank">@Kendraelliot</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> (IG) </span><a class="ydp8959050dyiv8244885060" href="http://www.goodreads.com/Kendra_Elliot" style="color: #3c61aa;" target="_blank">@Kendra_Elliot </a><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">(GoodReads).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">You can find Mystery Playground on twitter </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: #26282a;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">@mysteryplaygrnd and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MysteryPlayground/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9087598545110289124.post-81642754033692805302020-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:002020-01-16T05:00:01.297-08:00Review: The Devil's Due by Bonnie MacBird<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kerry Hammond is on a Sherlock Holmes kick and decided to read a new-to-her author who puts her own twist on a beloved character.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Devil’s Due</i> is the third book in author <a href="https://macbird.com/">Bonnie MacBird’s</a> Sherlock Holmes series. MacBird got her start in the film industry and has
numerous writing credits to her name—in addition to Emmy awards for three documentaries
she wrote and produced. MacBird started her Sherlock Holmes series because of
her love for Conan Doyle’s work, and readers in 17 languages are extremely glad
she did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this installment to the series, we find ourselves in
London in the year 1890. Watson takes his wife Mary’s visit to the country as
an excuse to check in on his old friend Sherlock Holmes. He finds the detective
being targeted by a slanderous media campaign; a reporter is calling Holmes the
devil incarnate and blaming him for a series of deaths that Holmes is actually
investigating. Prominent London citizens are being murdered and each of the
deaths is suspiciously followed by another, this time a suicide, of a friend or
loved one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To add to the difficulty of the investigation, New Scotland
Yard has a new chief and he is hell bent on closing cases. The problem is, he doesn’t seem to
care about the actual investigation, or whether or not he’s caught the right
culprit. With all of these strikes against him, Holmes is more than motivated
to get to the bottom of the murders and catch the killer before he or she kills
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am embarrassed to say that this is my first read by Bonnie
MacBird. After devouring the book, I am shocked at myself. It was a thoroughly
enjoyable story and I’m not sure how in the world I managed to miss the boat on
this series. MacBird does an excellent job of channeling Doyle’s detective and
creating a mystery that fits in with the spirit of the original works. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found the book entertaining, puzzling, fast paced, and
just plain enjoyable. I’m thrilled to have discovered such a wonderful series.
I’m a huge fan of everything Sherlock Holmes (come back next week for my post
about my visit to Meiringen, Switzerland, the town at the base of Reichenbach
Falls where Holmes and Moriarty plunged to their “deaths”). I highly recommend MacBird's series, whether you’re a Holmes fan or just like a good historical mystery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This book was provided to Mystery Playground by the
publisher. The review was fair and completely independent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can always find Mystery Playground on Twitter
@mysteryplaygrnd and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MysteryPlayground/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Facebook</span></a>.
You can also follow the blog by clicking the link on the upper right-hand
corner of this webpage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Kerry Hammondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01005397789316426975noreply@blogger.com2