Bell, Book and Corpses

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

T. C. LoTempio, author of Bell, Book and Corpses, the latest novel in the Nick & Nora mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Toni.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Bell, Book and Corpses is the seventh in the Nick and Nora mystery series, which celebrates its 10th anniversary on December 2nd!   The series centers around Nora Charles, an ex true crime reporter who now runs her late mother’s sandwich shop in her hometown of Cruz, California.  Her partner in crime is Nick, a tubby tuxedo cat who turned up at her door one evening.  Nick originally belonged to a PI who is currently MIA, and he does have some rather curious beginnings which might explain his extraordinary sleuthing ability and abiity to spell out clues for Nora with his favorite toy, Scrabble tiles.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I’m a big horror  movie fan and I used to be addicted to Dark Shadows, so it didn’t take much for me to make a vampire the central theme of this mystery!

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Most of my characters are taken from real life persons that I know. I have warned people several times to watch out, they might end up in one of my books!  Do I have favorites?  That’s like asking a parent who his favorite child is, lol.  But if I had to pick, I’d have to say Nick. He’s modelled after my own cat, ROCCO, whom I love dearly.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Once again I draw upon places I’ve visited and things I’ve seen. For example, in Bell, Book and Corpses, I drew upon every haunted house I’ve ever visited in the month of October.  When I was younger I used to wish that I’d actually meet a real vampire or a witch at one of those!

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I always do research for my books. For this particular one, I researched “ghost hunters” and watched a few streaming shows on the subject.  I do believe in spirits and an afterlife so I found that aspect fascinating. 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I think if you are a fan of Halloween you will like this book!  I promise it’s not too scary!  And of course if you are a Nick and Nora fan you will love it!  We’ll be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the publication of the first Nick and Nora mystery, MEOW IF ITS MURDER, in the month of December.  Check our blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com, my website, tclotempio.net, and Facebook for  more info on where and when! 

Thank you for answering my questions, Toni, and good luck with Bell, Book and Corpses, the latest book in the Nick & Nora mystery series.

Readers can learn more about T. C. LoTempio by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon  –  B&N –  Kobo

About T. C. LoTempio: While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic.  She and her cat pen the Nick and Nora mystery series originally from Berkley Prime Crime and now with Beyond the Page Publishing.  They also write the Cat Rescue series from Crooked Lane and the Pet Shop series, originally published by Midnight Ink and rebranded last  year as “Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries.”  Book six in the Nick and Nora mysteries, A PURR BEFORE DYING, is released this February from Beyond the Page.  There is also a new series, Tiffany Austin Food Blogger, coming out in April.

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Apple Dumpling Murder

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Cindy Cherubim Claus, Santa Claus’s daughter, is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Apple Dumpling Murder, the latest novel in the Christmas Catastrophe mystery series.

Welcome, Cindy. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Oh gosh! I’m so happy in Silver Shoals. Honestly, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to write about the shenanigans around here. This Trixie Silvertale seems to enjoy it, though. She’s writing another tale titled APPLE DUMPLING MURDER. Apple dumplings are one of my favorite things to make at my bakery. Blizzards! I forgot the question. Right, the novel. This story is the second one in a series the author calls, Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries. Truth is, I don’t mean to get into trouble. I wanted to get away from the North Pole and the pressure to take over my father’s toy delivery business. Things seemed perfect when I got to town, but I had to solve a murder to stay out of trouble, and now I have to find a way to prove my new friend’s innocence. The human world is way more complicated than I assumed.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

As far as I know, the writer simply watches what goes on around here and takes notes. Maybe I wouldn’t find myself in such a mess if somebody would tell me what to do. Being from a secret magical kingdom, I’m not used to things like green-and-white paper currency or serious crime. Every once in awhile the elves may disagree, but it usually settled with friendly discussion — not violence.

How did you evolve as the main character?

Seems like Trixie wanted to follow my journey from the North Pole to Silver Shoals. The tales are about me, my bakery, and the friends I’m making in the human world — so that’s probably how I ended up as this thing you call a main character. Solving murders just happened. I had no idea I’d have to learn sleuthing along with everything else.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

My advisor, Artikoa, the wise artic fox my father sent from the North Pole is becoming more than a spy. We’re simply two magical creatures attempting to live undercover. Of course, he has to pretend to be a dog — which he complains about in private at any opportunity. I’m learning to rely on him more and even trust him.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

Silver Shoals is a beautiful town nestled in a hillside on the shores of a great lake. The ice floes and snowy slopes remind me of home, but here, I have my first real independence. As a half-elf, one-quarter human, one-quarter angel, I had to wait until my 115th birthday to convince Santa to let me out of our protected community at the North Pole. This new town is filled with interesting people and quaint small businesses, like my homey bakery. You really should stop in and grab a gooey cinnamon roll to go.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? I love to share my recipes, so Trixie puts a few in every book. I hope you’ll try them and let me know what you think. Baking brings me such happiness; I’d be as pleased as Santa on Christmas morning if they brought you some joy, too.

Thank you for answering my questions, Cindy, and good luck to you and your author, Trixie Silvertale, with Apple Dumpling Murder, the latest book in the Christmas Catastrophe mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Cindy and her author, Trixie Silvertale by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Bookbub, Instagram and Patreon pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon US  – Amazon UK – Amazon Canada – Amazon Australia

About Trixie Silvertale: USA TODAY Bestselling author Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lilian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and obsesses about all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in all her mystery stories, and she’s thrilled to write them and share them with you.

Posted in Archives, September 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Tallowed Ground

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Valona Jones, author of Tallowed Ground, a Magic Candle Shop mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit about how to write serial killers as cozy mystery.

Welcome, Valona. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

Serial Killers aren’t cozy, are they?

Yes, I know it’s true. Serial killers aren’t cozy, but there’s a way to write around that. You keep the violence off screen. Way off screen. I don’t want gruesome images in my head and neither do you. As a writer of cozies that have a paranormal vibe, I keep the consideration of the puzzle at the forefront of my thoughts as I write and not the act of killing.

First, though, let me back up and say that when the first “CSI” show aired on TV, I was hooked on forensics. Full disclosure, I was predisposed to have a keen interest in this topic due to a science career in toxicology. I also attended Writer’s Police Academy and experienced a lot of policing and fingerprinting firsthand in this educational setting. (Afterward, I came home, turned off the kitchen lights, lay on the floor, and whipped out a penlight flashlight. I was aghast at all the nearly microscopic things on my “clean” floor.)

My fascination with the idea of crime-solving was further nurtured by the “Criminal Minds” show about the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. I was intrigued that a team of experts collaborated to solve cases that baffled local police. Several of these TV programs dealt with serial killers. I learned this type of killer has a signature, that is, he (or sometimes she) did things a certain way every time. That is their modus operandi or M.O., and often, a tool that helped experts discern his/her identity.

In one episode of “Criminal Minds”, the BAU team was sent to an area with multiple deaths in a short period of time, but the M.O. was different in every crime. At first, the main characters on the show struggled to link the crimes together, but it was suggested the link might be that the crimes all had different signatures. Therefore, the differences linked them to the same criminal. In other words, instead of having a single signature, this killer’s signature was that each means of death was different.

That concept stuck with me like hot glue. It wasn’t something I could work into my traditional cozies, and it surely didn’t fit in my culinary cozies. But in my paranormal cozy series, A Magic Candle Shop Mysteries, set in one of the most haunted cities in the U.S., I found just the cozy setting to use this concept.

TALLOWED GROUND is set in Savannah, Georgia, and in the book, the Savannah Police Department is on edge due to the odd crime wave around Bonaventure Cemetery, the resting place of many of the city’s movers and shakers. It’s an odd crime wave because the means of death are unusual.

However, these crimes have one signature element. The killer rubs a lard-like substance called tallow into the victim’s hair. The local cops don’t have the experience of the Savannah-based FBI office and don’t appreciate their involvement in solving the case.

As detectives research tallow and discover the varied uses of the product, they realize they know a subject expert, a local candle and soap maker named Tabby Winslow. They seek her advice and then she becomes a person of interest. The archery bow in her closet doesn’t help matters.

All of this information is filtered through Tabby’s point of view. She is cautious about getting involved in this case because of the bevvy of family secrets she must keep under wraps. But as matters heat up for her personally, she has no choice. She either figures out who the killer is or it’s likely she will soon be under arrest for the crimes.

While she doesn’t have the training of a BAU agent, she has several hidden energy-wielding talents she calls upon to help solve crimes. Unfortunately for Tabby, the criminal takes offense to her snooping. It isn’t long until Tabby is in the sights of the cops…and the killer.

The challenge of writing a multi-faceted book like this absorbed my imagination for months on end. Again, I kept everything quite cozy, except the final showdown where Tabby awakens in a small tight space. (If you are claustrophobic, be aware that’s coming. Also know that I would never hurt Tabby in a million years.)

She’s plucky, determined, and smart with a few hefty paranormal talents to help her along. I admire her spunk, creativity, and utter loyalty to family. In many ways, she’s the best of all of us, with the extra gears to help right some serious wrongs. And the beauty of it is that she’d rather be making candles and infusing them with her good energy.

So, yes, serial killers can be part of a cozy, but only in the coziest of ways.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Valona, and good luck with Tallowed Ground, the latest book in the Magic Candle Shop mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Valona Jones by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Bookbub and Booklover’s Bench pages. You can also follow her on Twitter/X.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

Kindle    Nook     Kobo     iBooks    Amazon Kindle and Print Book 

About Valona Jones: Valona Jones, aka Maggie Toussaint, writes paranormal cozies set in coastal Georgia, Her latest release,  TALLOWED GROUND, book 3 in the A Magic Candle Shop Mysteries, came out September 10, 2024. Under the name of Maggie Toussaint, she also publishes cozy mysteries and romantic suspense. Her pen name for a three-book science fiction ecothriller is Rigel Carson. In total, she has published more than 27 works of fiction and won multiple awards. She lives in coastal Georgia, where time and tide wait for no one. 

Posted in Archives, September 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Halloween Parade Peril

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Dotty Sayers is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Halloween Parade Peril, the latest novel in the Dotty Sayers Antique mysteries series.

Welcome, Dotty. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Hi, I’m Dorothy Sayers, although most people call me Dotty. I’m thrilled to be the main character in Halloween Parade Peril, which is part of the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series. This series follows my adventures as I learn about antiques, but somehow, I always find myself tangled up in murder mysteries.

In Halloween Parade Peril I travel to Dublin for a prestigious auction, but as you can imagine, things quickly take a turn for the eerie. With haunting melodies and tragic twists, I find myself in the thick of another puzzling case, and it’s up to me and my friends to piece together the clues before it’s too late.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

Well, my writer, Victoria Tait, certainly sets the stage as she chooses the theme, the setting, and the suspects. After that, it’s really a collaborative effort. Once the story starts, I often find myself taking unexpected paths, sometimes surprising even her. It’s a bit like stepping into a foggy night where you know the direction, but you never quite know what will emerge from the mist.

How did you evolve as the main character?

When I first started out, I was quite shy and uncertain, especially after spending most of my life under the shadows of my father and late husband. But each case forced me to grow, both as a person and in my knowledge of antiques.

Every mystery I solve, and every auction I attend, I become more confident in my abilities and more comfortable in my own skin. I travel to Dublin on a commission for private clients who are converting a castle into a boutique hotel. This is my first auction with a large budget to spend and a list of items I need to appraise myself.

But then, as always, I have to be ready for the unexpected, like a tragic event at a Halloween parade.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

Oh, absolutely! My closest companion is Sergeant Keya Varma, who’s not only a great friend but also an excellent detective. She’s sharp, supportive, and even though she can be a bit clumsy at times, her heart is always in the right place.

She joins me in Dublin, as do her boyfriend and crime scene technician, Sujin, and my friend, Zach, who is excited about visiting Dublin.

And of course, there’s my dear cat, Earl Grey, who has been with me through thick and thin since “Fake Death.”

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

Dublin is a city steeped in history, culture, and folklore. Perfect for a mystery! The Bram Stoker Festival brings an enchanting, almost mystical atmosphere to the story. You can feel the weight of history as you walk through the streets, from the majestic Trinity College to the storied Dublin Castle. The mix of old-world charm and Halloween’s eerie vibes creates the perfect backdrop for the mysteries I uncover. It’s a place where the past and the present intertwine, much like the antiques I love.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

I’d just like to say that if you enjoy cozy mysteries filled with quirky characters, bewitching puzzles, and enchanting Irish folklore, then you’ll love Halloween Parade Peril.

I’m so excited for readers to join me in Ireland, and if you’re new to my adventures, you might want to start at the beginning with Hour is Come, which you can read for free by visiting my website, VictoriaTait.com, to see how my journey began. Happy reading!

Thank you for answering my questions, Dotty, and good luck to you and your author, Victoria Tait, with Halloween Parade Peril, the latest book in the Dotty Sayers Antique mysteries series.

Readers can learn more about Dotty and her author, Victoria by visiting the author’s website and her Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram and Pinterest pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

  Amazon   Books2Read 

About Victoria Tait: Victoria was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, and never expected to travel the world. She’s drawn on her life’s experiences of following her military husband, and a love of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries.

Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative.  As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world of intrigue, surprises, and humour, as well as a delectable helping of mystery, because tea and intrigue are a perfect blend.

Posted in Archives, September 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

French Quarter Fright Night

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Jambalaya, the peacock, is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about French Quarter Fright Night, the latest novel in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series.

Welcome, Jambalaya. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too. Hi, Jambalaya the peacock here, brother to Gumbo. We live at Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, the setting for the Vintage Cookbook Mystery series, which was inspired by our author’s own hobby of collecting cookbooks. In the series, Ricki James-Diaz leaves Los Angeles to start a new life in New Orleans after her showboating actor husband perishes doing a stupid internet stunt. Ricki gets to turn her avocation – collecting vintage cookbooks – into a vocation by launching Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware Shop at an historic culinary house museum once owned by Genevieve “Vee” Charbonnet, a legendary local restauranteur. When murder bedevils the site, Ricki will also find herself in the unexpected role of amateur sleuth, putting to use the observational skills she’s developed ferreting out hidden resale treasures.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? Oh, believe me, my bro and I get a say. Do you know anything about peacocks? If not, please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a bird of wealth and fame. Kidding! But we have attitude for days. It’s like, we know we’re gorgeous so we can get away with murder. Well, not real murder. We leave that to other characters.

How did you evolve as the main character? We’re not main characters but we are regulars. Once our author started writing us, she had so much fun she couldn’t stop. She also trusts our opinions about people. If we don’t like someone, we’ll chase and screech at them incessantly. Ricki takes this as a sign that whoever we’re heckling deserves it.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? I really love chasing Theo Charbonnet around, hee hee hee. We drive him nuts! He’s gotten a little better but for a long time, he deserved what he got.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? We’re actually very frustrated. Suddenly there’s kitten at Bon Vee and everyone’s like, “Ooooh, he’s so cute!” And we’re like, “Dude, he’s a full-on monster. Trust us on this.” But noooo. Kittens rule, right? Cue eye roll emoji!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? There’s nothing more fun than Halloween in New Orleans! We don’t have to wear costumes, of course. I mean, have you seen our feathers? Mic drop! But French Quarter Fright Night is loaded with haunted houses and spooky parades and awesome outfits. Even a murder can’t stop the fun. Or can it????

Thank you for answering my questions, Jambalaya, and good luck to you and your author, Ellen Byron, with French Quarter Fright Night, the latest book in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Jambalaya and his author, Ellen Byron by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Bookbub, and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org 

About Ellen Byron: Ellen is a USA Today bestselling author, Anthony nominee, and recipient of multiple Agatha and Lefty awards for her Cajun Country Mysteries, Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, and Catering Hall Mysteries (as Maria DiRico). Her new series, The Golden Motel Mysteries, recently debuted. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents, but considers her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. 

Posted in Archives, September 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Buried on a Sundae

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Lena Gregory, author of Buried on a Sundae, the latest novel in the Coffee & Cream Cafe mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Lena.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Buried on a Sundae is the fourth book in the Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series, which take place in the small town of Watchogue on Eastern Long Island’s south shore. In this story, things have been looking up for Danika’s Café. But for her love life? Not so much. After a disastrous date with Detective Jake Barlow, Danika lets her best friends, Gwen and Eli, talk her into a night out at the hottest new nightclub in town. Only, while there, Dani finds her sort-of boyfriend secreted in the shadows on the beach behind the club with crime boss Patrick Johansen’s wife, Angelique! An upset Dani leaves without giving Jake a chance to explain, but when he doesn’t get in touch the next day, she takes a long walk along the beach to reevaluate her love life. That’s where she suddenly stumbles across Angelique’s body buried in the dunes near where she last saw her with Jake. Sure that Jake is innocent—of murder at least—Danika and her friends set out to prove Jake had nothing to do with her murder and stop a killer…before they strike again!

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

Since this story was set to release during the summer, I wanted it to really capture the feel of summer on Long Island. A new nightclub opening seemed like a great way to do that, especially when you add in secrets, misunderstandings, and of course, murder.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

The biggest underlying theme in my stories has to do with friendship. I think close friends, the kind who would do anything for you, the kind you can share your deepest, darkest secrets with, are so important. And if those friends are a ton of fun and also willing to join right in to help you solve a murder or two, even better.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

When I’m starting to create a new main character, I ask myself what would make this character fun and interesting? In this case, I feel like Dani is a fun character, though a little out of her element in the café, which leaves plenty of room for character development throughout the series. Then I create secondary characters to support them. In this series, Eli is definitely one of my favourites. He’s full of energy, kind of clumsy, and completely adorable. I also have a real soft spot for Uncle Jimmie.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Mostly, I try to write about places I know. I try to bring all the little quirks visitors might not know about into the stories. In my All-Day Breakfast Café books, one of the biggest things is the abundance of critters. When I moved to Florida, that was one of the things that took the most getting used to. In my books that take place on Long Island, I try to convey what it’s like to walk along the beaches, not only what you’d see, but how the sand feels, the scent of salt from the bay, the sound of seagulls (and the dangers they pose to innocent beachgoers).

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I research everything. I like to make sure my books would feel authentic, even to someone familiar with the subject. Some of my recent searches included temperatures and wind speeds during a blizzard, how to make homemade ice cream, tools firefighters use, and how to make Molotov cocktails. Hopefully, no one will ever check my browsing history.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

This was a really fun book to write. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you so much for having me.

Thank you for answering my questions, Lena, and good luck with Buried on a Sundae, the latest book in the Coffee & Cream Cafe mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Lena Gregory by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

About Lena Gregory: Lena is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for  writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Posted in September 2024 | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Cayman Conundrum

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Stacy Wilder, author of Cayman Conundrum, the latest novel in the Liz Adams mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Stacy.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Cayman Conundrum is book four in the Liz Adams Mystery Series. Each book can be read as a standalone. The series features Private Investigator Liz Adams and her truth-sniffing Labrador retriever, Duke. The pair travel to various tourist destinations to solve the latest crimes. Here’s a brief description of Cayman:

A tropical vacation transforms into a web of danger and deception when an author and his manuscript vanish. Is his thriller about money laundering in the Caribbean too close to the truth?

With the stakes high and time ticking, Private Investigator Liz Adams and her new husband, Brad, along with their truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, partner with the local authorities to unravel a multitude of crimes. As they search for clues, the newlyweds explore the delights of the island, including a hunt for buried treasure.

Will they unearth the clues in time, or will the honeymoon end in heartbreak? Set against the backdrop of the stunning island of Grand Cayman, this cozy mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

The ideas for the stories typically come to me while I’m journalling or sometimes in the middle of the night. Part of the inspiration for this book came from an author friend who told me that she could never publish the first book that she wrote because it might get her killed.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

There is a theme that runs through all the novels related to drugs and hints of money laundering. Cayman tackles the subject of money laundering in greater depth. Both subjects are important social issues, and I like that Liz helps bring justice to the culprits.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Creating characters is one of my favorite parts, and they often dictate the story. I have character worksheets that I use to flesh them out. Since my books are part of a series, I enjoy finding ways for the main characters to continue to develop and grow, introducing new characters, and bringing back characters from earlier books. In Cayman Conundrum, JP from Charleston, and Sam from Carmel, both make reappearances.

Of course, Liz’s Labrador retriever and sidekick, Duke, is one of my favorites. In Cayman Conundrum, Pearl, the queen of gossip on the island, is another favorite. Although some of my characters are based on real people who asked to be in the story, Pearl is a complete product of my imagination. Commissioner Holmes is loosely based on a friend of ours who asked to be in the book, and yes, he is British.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

I google a lot of images, read books, and watch videos and movies set in the location. If possible, I also visit for research. Although I’ve been to Grand Cayman, it’s been years, and I couldn’t make a trip prior to the book’s release. Our good friends had a trip planned, and they scouted the settings in the story for me instead.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I do quite a bit of research including reading books on the subject, ordering tourist materials, researching online, and interviewing experts. For Cayman Conundrum, I was fortunate to be able to interview John Cassara, an expert in anti-money laundering. He’s authored multiple books on the subject and was gracious with his time and expertise. As a result of our conversations and his suggestions, I ended up altering the plot to make it more believable.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I donate a portion of the proceeds of the books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets. So far, I’ve made donations to Texas Sporting Breed Rescue where we adopted our current Lab, Eve, Schnauzer Rescue of Texas, Citizens for Animal Protection, Best Friends Animal Society, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Feeding America.

I’m currently working on the next book in the series, A Camping Conundrum, a novella, and also a prequel to Charleston Conundrum, the first book in the series, which once released will be available for free as a reader magnet.

Thank you for answering my questions, Stacy, and good luck with Cayman Conundrum, the latest book in the Liz Adams mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Stacy Wilder by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads and Bookbub pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org 

About Stacy Wilder: Stacy writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets.

Beyond writing, Stacy is deeply devoted to her faith, family, and her beloved Labradors. She is also enthusiastic about the causes she supports, the beauty of art, the serenity of the beach, and the joy of reading. She and her husband live in Houston, TX with a totally spoiled Labrador named Eve. 

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Keeled Over at the Cliffside

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Nancy Stewart, author of Keeled Over at the Cliffside, the latest novel in the Saltcliff mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Nancy.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Keeled Over at the Cliffside is the first book in the Saltcliff Mystery Series. The series features a female amateur sleuth who is called to a seaside town in California upon the death of her estranged twin sister. She learns that she’s been given guardianship of her twelve year old niece and also over the inn her sister owned.

With her new life, Dahlia inherits a whole new community, which she navigates with the help of her service dog, Taco. Dahlia doesn’t read social cues well and isn’t naturally comfortable with people, but luckily, Taco excels at emotion, and Dahlia’s niece Diantha helps too.

Dahlia becomes embroiled in a curious murder, thanks to her talents for solving puzzles, and when a second murder occurs, handsome police detective Owen Sanderson asks for her unofficial assistance.

With recipes for the baked goods Dahlia makes for the inn, and lots of quirky side characters, the Saltcliff Mysteries give Gilmore Girls vibes (if Gilmore Girls featured a mystery!)

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

Poison is the means of murder in this book, and I learned about a common plant that looks like green onion, but will make people sick or even kill them in large quantities. I wondered if someone could use a food poisoning incident to cover a real poisoning, and went from there!

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

I have written for a decade as Delancey Stewart in romance, and all my stories center around themes of finding one’s own strength, acceptance of others, and found families. It turns out my mysteries are the same!

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Taco Dog is my favorite character because he is based on my writing partner, Charlie Taco, who is my family dog.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

I do my best to incorporate the things I notice when visiting real places – the smells, the sounds, the quality of the light (which sounds esoteric, but is really different in various places – in a big city, it’s shadow-driven, as the buildings often block true sunlight, or it glares as it comes off the multitude of windows. In villages, like the one I’ve written, it’s got a more ethereal feel, filtered through the leaves and branches of trees overhead).

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I research as I go, making sure I get details correct any time it’s required.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I really hope they enjoy it!

Thank you for answering my questions, Nancy, and good luck with Keeled Over at the Cliffside, the latest book in the Saltcliff mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Nancy Stewart by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Nancy Stewart: Nancy Stewart is the cozy pen name of USA Today bestselling rom-com author Delancey Stewart. This is her first cozy mystery, despite being raised on a steady diet of Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, and supplementing that in adulthood with mysteries and thrillers whenever possible. She writes from her home near Denver, Colorado, where she lives with her former Marine hubby and two teenage boys. And of course, her dog, Charlie Taco (who appears in her mystery series as Taco the service dog.)

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Phoning in a Murder

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Elaine Orr, author of Phoning in a Murder, a Jolie Gentil cozy mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to share an excerpt from her book.

Welcome, Elaine. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

From Chapter 2 of Phoning in a Murder:

With married parents Jolie and Scoobie (parents of Lance and Leia) and Sgt. Morehouse of the Ocean Alley Police. Waiting in the high school parking lot after a contentious meeting between band teacher, O’Halloran, and parents.

The three of us looked toward the corner of the high school, where lights still burned in the band room. Someone, I assumed O’Halloran passed in front of a window.

“I’d like to thank him, when he comes out,” I said.

The light went out in the band room. “Won’t be much longer,” Scoobie said.

“I gotta get…” Morehouse frowned and I followed his gaze. The band room light came on, went off, and came on again. It went off a few seconds later and stayed dark. “What the hell’s he doin’?”

“Give him a minute,” Scoobie said.

We did. O’Halloran didn’t appear.

“There’s a door directly from the band room to the back side of the school. Just around that corner,” I said.

“He’s a big boy,” Morehouse said, but he didn’t sound very definite.

“Let’s walk over,” Scoobie said. “We can look in and say thanks, then head out.”

I zipped up my jacket. Crisp is good when the sun is shining, but the night air was cool.

We walked toward the band room, Scoobie recounting Lance and Leia’s efforts to get our black cat, Jazz, to wear a paper crown they made. “She put up with it for about ten seconds, shook it off, and shredded it.”

“Cat after my own heart,” Morehouse said.

“She was there first,” I said. We had reached the door and Scoobie pulled it open, nodding for me to precede them.

I walked into the large room, patting the wall for the multiple light switches. I found them and flipped up a couple of them.

I took a few more steps into the large room before I saw him. Henry O’Halloran lay on his back on the floor next to the upright piano. Whatever protruded from his neck was the source of all the blood that pooled around his head.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Elaine, and good luck with Phoning in a Murder, the latest book in the Jolie Gentil mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Elaine Orr by visiting the author’s website and her Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Bookbub pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

Amazon – Apple – Kobo – B&N – Google 

About Elaine Orr: Elaine L. Orr has authored more than 30 works of fiction, including four mystery series. What makes her fiction different from other traditional mysteries? Some might say the dry humor (only a few say lame), but she thinks it is the empathy her characters show to others. Fiction doesn’t always have to be profound. But it can contain people whose paths we cross every day — whether we know it or not.

Her books include the fourteen-book Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series, which is set at the Jersey shore. Behind the Walls was short-listed for the 2014 Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Awards. “Reading any Jolie Gentil book is like spending time with cherished friends. That feeling grows as the series continues.” Phoning in a Murder came out in late June 2024.

The River’s Edge series takes place among the cornfields of Southeastern Iowa, along the Des Moines River. A fired news reporter switches to landscaping, but still digs up trouble. Demise of a Devious Neighbor was a Chanticleer shortlister in 2017

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Peach Tea Smash

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Laura Childs, author of Peach Tea Smash, the latest novel in Tea Shop mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Laura.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Peach Tea Smash is the 28th book in my Tea Shop Mystery series. Though each book is written as a stand-alone, they all feature the same cast of characters. We have Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC, as well as Drayton Conneley, tea sommelier, and Haley Parker, their chef and baker. Because these are murder mysteries I make sure to drop a dead body right in chapter one which generally sends Theodosia into amateur sleuth mode. Besides having a strong sense of justice, Theodosia also has a fierce curiosity gene, and it doesn’t take much to prompt her into launching her own shadow investigation. All of my mysteries are hybrids – a cozy feel with the pace and pulse of a thriller – so I’ve coined the term “thrillsy” to describe them. The entire series has been super successful and most have been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I started thinking about a fancy Alice in Wonderland masquerade party held at an old grist mill in Charleston, SC. Then I pictured neon cheshire cats lurking atop crumbling walls while music blasts, drinks flow, croquet games are played, and some poor soul gets murdered.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

The theme in all my books deals with Theodosia trying to figure out who the bad guy or girl is and bringing them to justice. There really are just a few powerful themes that books, movies, and TV shows are based on. These include “trying to get home,” “seeking justice,” or “re-connecting with someone.” Think about it. The “trying to get home” theme has been used for dogs and cats whose goal was to find their way home. In the movie Saving Private Ryan, the men wanted to win the war so they could catch that big boat home. And “seeking justice” is the basis for almost every cop show, murder mystery, and thriller because it’s just so doggone powerful. It satisfies our basic need for safety and order.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favorites? Is so, why are you partial to them?

My main characters are fairly well formed by now – and I absolutely adore them. Theodosia is a tea shop entrepreneur who’s smart and feisty but never forgets her genteel Southern roots. Drayton always starts out as slightly standoffish in his tweed jacket and bowtie, but the minute Theodosia drags him into a murder investigation, he’s ready to dig in as well. And Haley is an amazing chef who can cook like Gordon Ramsey (and swear like him too) as she delights their Indigo Tea Shop guests with her chocolate scones, apple bread, and pecan pies.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Charleston, SC is so amazing that it almost becomes its own character. This is a city that was founded before the Revolutionary War, sits on a peninsula where the Atlantic’s waves come crashing in, and has an Historic District with enormous mansions, verdant gardens, and narrow, twisty lanes. Charleston is also highly atmospheric. Mist and fog drift in from the Atlantic, there are haunted graveyards, and old Southern families with any number of skeletons in their closets. Really, a terrific city to write about!

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

Oh, poor me, I have to visit Charleston occasionally to soak up the feel of the city. Of course, I also do book research so I get the buildings, monuments, museums, restaurants, and streets right.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I’d have to say this isn’t your mom’s style of cozy. My Tea Shop Mysteries kick off with exploding hot air balloons, smash and grabs, bombings, car crashes, art heists, poisonings, murders in haunted houses, drownings, fires, shootings, and so much more. In the case of Peach Tea Smash, the mystery jumpstarts with a greenhouse collapse that kills a bridesmaid, then weaves in spooky skull clues, tea events, chase scenes, a second murder, romance, rescued dogs, and a climactic conclusion at an outdoor opera. I promise you, the pace never lets up!

Thank you for answering my questions, Laura, and good luck with Peach Tea Smash, the latest book in the Tea Shop mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Laura Childs by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – PenquinRandomHouse 

Laura Childs: Laura is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, Cackleberry Club Mysteries, and Afton Tangler Thrillers. Most have been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. Recently, Book Riot named her mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series.” In herprevious life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, and has a Chinese Shar-Pei named Lotus.

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