A paleta is a Mexican dessert. Ice cream or sorbet and fruit on stick, perfect for eating on, well, any Texas day because ice cream is good any time.
M decided to visit her local Nevaria (ice cream shop) and they helped to pair paletas with her books. Here are the results.
A Dashie discovery meets Pina Colada.
Daisy of Daisy’s Nevaria picked the white and yellow dessert because the colors match the font on the front cover. M picked it because local town gossip, Piper, invites our amateur sleuth, Leslie, and her best friend, Sophia, over for pool drinks so she can get in on the investigation.
A Pom Pom Premise meets kiwi
Daisy picked kiwi because the green of the paleta matches the money and grass on the cover. M picked kiwi because it’s a sweet and tart fruit that takes a little adjusting to for your tastebuds. Kind of how Tiffany Williams tartness finally wins over Leslie in this book.
A Poodle Perplexity meets chocolate covered strawberry
M asked Daisy if she had any wedding cake flavors to go with the books. Daisy did not but she did have cheesecake. M decided that wasn’t enough. There needed to be fancy and sprinkles and lo and behold, there it was, a chocolate covered delight just waiting to be bought. (Which M did and ten more paletas thank you very much).
Which paleta sounds the most appetizing to you? What flavor do you think you’d pick to go with A Corgi Conundrum?
M. Alfano is a crazy dog lady from a small town in Texas. When not writing cozy mysteries you can find her as the substitute elementary school music teacher or writing contemporary romance under Magan Vernon.
In the mood for a heart-warming cozy mystery to dig into alongside your freshly-baked, gooey batch of cinnamon rolls? Look no further than these five baking-themed reads to kickstart your heart and inspire your sweet tooth this fall season!
Filled to the brim with suspense, quirky, lovable sidekicks, and enough baking inspiration to make your whisks spin, these cozy suggestions will warm up your TBR faster than your conventional oven!
Prepare your aprons and ready your recipe book, because these five cozy baking mysteries are guaranteed to whet your appetite for the cozy baking season!
If you’re a fan of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, and Ellie Alexander, then A Case for the Cookie Baker by Candace Havens is perfect for you!
It’s all fun and games until the last cookie crumbles…
Ainsley McGregor and the entire town of Sweet River, Texas, are preparing for the annual summer celebration. And thanks to the extra tourist traffic, Ainsley’s shop, Bless Your Art, has never been busier. Good thing her new friend, Lizzie, has opened a bakery nearby and provides Ainsley and her staff with tasty treats and daily sugar rushes. It’s all cookies and fun, until someone ends up dead in the bakery and her new pal is the prime suspect.
Ainsley is convinced Lizzie is innocent. Unfortunately, her brother, the town sheriff, and her boyfriend, Jake, have some not-so-secret suspicions. With a town full of strangers who just might be suspects, Ainsley finds herself targeted by a killer. Even as her world crumbles faster than a cookie, she’s determined to prove her friend’s innocence—if she can stay alive long enough.
Emmie Lyn’s Cookies and a Killer combines delectable desserts, magic, adorable pet sidekicks, and murder for a perfect seasonal cozy mystery.
The launching of a new bakery and fundraiser in town should be cause for celebration, not a murder investigation. Just when Nikki Knight thinks things might be getting back to normal in Frog Hollow, her friend Carla’s business manager is found dead at the scene of her new, year-round Christmas bakery.
When Dale, the gourmet grocer next door, suggests that the cookie fundraiser be held at his place, Nikki and the Accidental Ghost Detective team suspect foul play.
But all signs are pointing to Carla and some strange magical happenings. Can Dash and Nikki sniff out this case before the cookie crumbles?
Every family has secrets, especially the sweet ones…
When talented baker Rosie Hart delivers cakes and cookies to her newest clients, The Sweet Treat candy store, she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder case. Will she ever catch a break?
Her elderly clients, The Percival sisters, are shocked when their long-lost great nephew appears with no warning. The sisters have never met nor heard of the man, but he’s family so they accept him with open arms. He immediately begins to tear up his aunts’ home, so when he turns up dead, Rosie feels only a sense of relief. Until she realizes the police suspect the sisters.
Rosie is as convinced of their innocence as she is of the deliciousness of her popular salted caramel cupcakes. But as the body count begins to rise and new secrets are unearthed, she begins to wonder if the sweet artisan candy makers are hiding more than their family recipes.
Ginger Danger by Emmie Lyn is perfect for readers who love small-town, idyllic settings, a budding romance, lovable animals, and mystery-solving!
It’s no secret that I, Sunny Shaw, am a magnet for mayhem right here on beautiful Blueberry Bay.
So, when a woman goes missing just before the grand opening of Shakes and Cakes, I think…it could be worse. And of course that’s exactly what happens when missing turns into dead. It’s hard to cry over a disastrous opening when there’s a murderer running around and things aren’t about to get any easier!
Oh my, Jasper, how will we ever juggle my nasty neighbor, a stalker, a murderer, finding homes for kittens AND serving the best shakes and cakes in Pineville?
The answer to that million dollar question might save my business but can we shake things up to keep my friends out of jail and me alive to see another day?
A small town surely can’t have any more skeletons in its garden, can it?
I’m Aubrey Rose, and after solving a decades long cold case in Willow Cove, I was ready to hang up my amateur detective hat. But when Willow Cove’s oldest and most revered resident, Edith Thomas, is found dead—everyone is suddenly looking to me for answers.
I didn’t plan on getting involved, but how can I say no when even Edith’s son is asking for my help? Now, I need to discover who would want to kill a sweet little lady whose worst offense was baking deliciously addictive chocolate chip muffins.
With handyman Gavin, and his terrier sidekick at my side, we’ll need to dig into Edith’s past and discover if this lovely senior had any scandals in her past.
Like many authors, I am often asked why I “became” a writer. The short answer is that I was born that way. As far back as I can remember, I was able to look at a situation, remove myself, and think about the “story” that was unfolding before me, no matter how mundane. I was always making up stories to keep my brother entertained when I was charged with babysitting him. I didn’t know that not everyone saw the world as I did until I was in college.
In English class one day the professor told us to write a short paragraph about a flower. We needed to make the description so vivid that anyone could picture it, see it. There were about twenty of us in the class. One girl raised her hand and asked, “what do you mean?” The professor repeated the assignment, but the girl shrugged and shook her head and said, “I still don’t know how to do that.” Something must have clicked for my professor as he turned to her and said, “Oh, you can’t make something from nothing, can you?” There are some people who can’t create something that doesn’t exist, don’t worry about it.” I feel sure I was not the only person in class who never knew such a thing existed. It was then I realized that is what writers do constantly—they make something from nothing.
Here is a rough idea of how I come up with story ideas and characters. I may be moved by a feeling, a look, a line of dialogue I overhear, or read, or a scene from a movie, and it lodges in my brain for use later. One day, it rises to the top and demands attention. No matter how long I ignore it, it is there, often growing, changing, and connecting with another idea. I always feel as if there is a separate part of my brain working on what I need to write next that I’m not totally aware of—yet. A friend of mine calls it the writing elves. These little creative brain elves are busy building the framework for a new book.
No two writers create in exactly the same way. All creative people can’t write a book, or have no desire to write. But most everyone will find their creative outlet. I found out later that the girl who could not envision a flower, couldn’t “build it in her mind” was a very talented quilt maker.
Why do I write? I can’t not write. It’s how I see and understand the world. Besides, I like creating something from nothing.
Thanks for stopping by the blog and congratulations on the release of your book, Retirement Can Be Murder!
The beginning of fall has officially arrived, and you know what that means—it’s time to brew your favorite warm beverage, curl up with your softest throw blanket, and finally crack open those cozy, autumnal reads you’ve had on your TBR since the beginning of summer.
To achieve that perfect fall mood of crisp, pine-scented air, freshly-baked pumpkin cookies, and warm apple cider, leave your to-do list at the door and check out these five cozy mysteries that you’re guaranteed to fall for this autumn!
A Bittersweet Murder by Kaz Delaney
“Captivating, entertaining and a truly delightful read” —Goodreads Reviewer
For one brief hour on a sunny Texas morning, amateur baker Rosie Hart glimpses the life she’s always dreamed about—thanks to a surprise inheritance from the late Miss Alice. But her benefactor is barely cold in the ground when Rosie is accused of her murder.
As the only stranger in the tight-knit Airlie Falls community, and the only person with an obvious motive, all eyes turn to Rosie. Especially when more bodies begin to pile up and mysterious letters from the grave start circulating faster than Rosie can pull a tray of cherry nut clusters out of the oven.
When Rosie begins to suspect the murders have links to a sixty-year-old suspicious death on the very property she’s just inherited, town locals become uneasy. But how can Rosie prove the two are related—and prove her innocence—before the killer strikes again?
In High Spirits by Beth Prentice
“A classic ‘Murder, She Wrote’ mystery, but with a heavy dose of spirits and magic” —Starred Goodreads Review
Daisy Montgomery was living her best life until she was attacked by a force so powerful that it separated her body from her soul. Now neither living nor dead, her spirit form lacks ghostly abilities like walking through walls, and she can’t communicate with anyone. Except one.
Luckily her connection to her little dog, Alfie, led her to super sexy Charlie O’Sullivan, a man who can not only see her spirit and open doors for her but someone who makes her question everything she thought she knew about her life, love, and almost death.
The more she, Charlie, and his merry band of spirit helpers uncover, the longer her suspect list grows. But when someone else she knows dies, Daisy must use her newfound knowledge to discover who the killer is before they strike again. If she can’t, not only are her loved ones at risk but the killer could come back to finish the job they started the night of her attack. And Daisy’s not ready to rest in peace.
If you’re a fan of magic, some good, old-fashioned mystery solving, and the paranormal, then Louise Marvin’s The Hellebore Haunting is perfect for you!
Pax Hawthorne (née Thatcher) has inherited a new name and a legacy she isn’t sure she wants. And now her deceased mentor’s herb shop belongs to her too.
It’s a lot to process, so when the opportunity arrives to escape for a day and check out an exhibit of ancient plants, Pax and her best friend, Sam, jump at the chance for a little R&R.
When they arrive, however, instead of cool flowers, they find a lonely ghost in need of their help. She’s been haunting the Gilded Age mansion on the property for over a century, unable to remember how she died. Hoping that discovering the answer will let their new friend rest in peace, Pax and Sam start digging for clues.
But the more truth they uproot, the more it seems there’s something much darker that would prefer the past stay buried. And when this dark force proves it isn’t afraid to play dirty to stop the investigation, Pax must call upon her loral friends for help, or else she may join her ghostly friend in the afterlife.
Black Cat Comes Back by Emmie Lyn
“A fun, whimsical read…A great set up to the series” —Goodreads Reviewer
I’m Audrey Fernsby, just a ghost of my former self floating around Moonlight Mansion in Frog Hollow, Georgia.
My death was ruled accidental… but nothing is farther from the truth.
When my precious black cat, Mocha, returns on the same night that two friends, Tilly and Sunny arrive from Maine, I plan to out my ghostly self and enlist their clever sleuthing capabilities.
Mocha knows the truth but can she help catch the killer before someone else ends up dead in my rose bushes?
If you’re a fan of The Thursday Murder Club series, then you’ll definitely like The Magician Card by Vickie Carroll
When Harper Kagel receives word that her cousin had taken a deadly fall, she drops everything and returns to her hometown of Steepwick, Maine.
She’s avoided the odd town with a witchy past for decades, and only planned to stay long enough for the funeral. But her cousin had other plans. Now Harper’s the new owner of her cousin’s home, café-bookstore, and opinionated Westie named Einstein.
The town’s residents welcome Harper’s return with open arms, including her ex. The secret crime solvers’ society even inducts her into their Cold Case Club.
But when Harper finds herself the target of a killer, she’ll need the Cold Case Club’s help to solve an ancient family mystery. If they can’t figure it out, Harper will follow in the footsteps of her dearly departed cousin.
Hello and welcome! First and foremost, congratulations on the release of your Tule debut, Panic in the Panhandle! I know that I’m excited about your release day, so let’s jump right in, shall we?
1. Tell us about a moment when you were scared while writing your most recent mystery/thriller?
When I started writing it! Seriously, I always start a new story wondering whether I can pull it off. Can I write an engaging mystery? Will it be good enough? Will my editor hate it? Will I even be able to finish the darn thing. Those are always scary thoughts. I’ve learned I have to shove them aside and power through the doubt.
2. What secret have you kept hidden – until now?
When I was a senior in high school, a rival school spray painted graffiti on our baseball diamond. I was part of a group that returned the favor one foggy Saturday night. We dug up home plate and tossed it over the center field fence. We planted a mail box at first base. We took the tarp that was covering the pitcher’s mound, spray painted “The Rat Patrol” on it, ran it up a nearby flagpole, then made our getaway. We played that school later in the season at our place. Some friends held up a banner at the beginning of that game that said we led 1-0 because we stole home. As far as I know, the identities of The Rat Patrol are secret to his day.
3. Talk about a research result that horrified you and why you were researching it.
You know, I’ve been fortunate that most of the time, I’m able to conduct my research with a research perspective. I tend to look at things as a way to learn about unusual topics and how they may affect the human body. Though, to be fair, it was kind of disturbing when I was researching how one could commit murder by using an alligator. I used the research for Panic in the Panhandle. I won’t forget it any time soon.
4. What is the funniest feedback you’ve received on your book?
I don’t know that I’ve ever received feedback that was particularly funny. That’s okay, though. Most of the comments have been very kind. I’ll that that kind of feedback any day!
5. When did you know you wanted to write mysteries/thrillers? What led you to that genre?
I was writing in another genre when I shot my mouth off in my literary agency’s group chat. I responded to a photo another author posted by saying it looked like a good setting for a murder mystery. My agent replied by challenging me to write the story, which turned into A Literal Mess, which was published in 2019. I’ve had a ball writing mysteries ever since.
J.C. Kenney is the bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries, The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries, and The Elmo Simpson Mysteries. He’s also the co-host of The Bookish Hour webcast. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He has two grown children and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and a cat.
