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Thursday 28 March 2024

Chocolate Mysteries

AARONS, Kathie 2014 Death is Like a Box of Chocolates

2015 Truffled to Death

2016 Behind Chocolate Bars
ALABASRER, Stacey 2016 Death By Chocolate Cake 
BECK, Jessica 2012 Drop Dead Chocolate
BELL, Cindy 2015 The Sweet Smell of Murder

2015 A Deadly Delicious Delivery 

2016 A Bitter Sweet Murder 

2016 A Treacherous Tasty Trail 

2016 Luscious Pastry at a Lethal Party/Pastry and Peril

2016 Trouble and Treats 

2016 Fudge, Films and Felonies

2017 Custom-Made Murder 

2017 Skydiving, Souffles and Sabotage 

2018 Christmas Chocolates and Crimes

2018 Hot Chocolate and Homicide 

2018 Chocolate Caramels and Conmen 

2018  Picnics, Pies and Lies 

2019 Devil's Food Cake and Drama

2019 Cinnamon and a Corpse

2019 Cherries, Berries and a Body 

2019 Christmas Cookies and Criminals 

2020 Grapes, Ganache and Guilt 

2020 Yule Logs and Murder

2021 Mocha, Marriage and Murder

2021 Holiday Fudge and Homicide
BENNING, Patti 2020 Chocolate Cherry and Choices

2020 White Chocolate and Worries 
BERKELEY, Anthony  1929 The Poisoned Chocolates Case
BEST Morgana 2016 Sweet Revenge

2016 The Sugar Hit 

2017 Murder Sweetly Served 

2017 Chocolate To Die For 
BLAKE, Bethany 2017 Death by Chocolate Lab
BYERS, Beth 2019 Murder By Chocolate 
CARL, JoAnna 2001 The Choccolate Cat Caper

2002 The Chocolate Bear Burglary 

2003 The Chocolate Frog Frame-Up

2004 The Chocolate Puppy Puzzle 

2005 The Chocolate Mouse Trap 

2006 The Chocolate Bridal Bash 

2007 The Chocolate Jewel Case

2008 The Chocolate Snowman Murders 

2009 The Chocolate Cupid Killings 

2010 The Chocolate Pirate Plot 

2011 The Chocolate Castle Clue

2012 The Chocolate Moose Motive 

2013 The Chocolate Book Bandit 

2002 The Chocolate Clown Corpse 

2003 The Chocolate Falcon Fraud

2004 The Chocolate Bunny Brouhaha 

2019 The Chocolate Shark Shenanigans 

2021 The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole 
CARTER, Sammi 2006 Chocolate Dipped Death
CLOVER, Leena 2019 Raspberry Chocolate Murder
COLE, Lyndsey 2015 Strawburied in Chocolate (2015)
DAVIDSON, Diane Mott 1992 Dying For Chocolate
DAVIS, Krista 2015 The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss
EMRICK, K.J. 2017 Death by Chocolate Cake 
FAIRER, David 2019 Chocolate House Treason
FLUKE, Joanne 2000 Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

2000 Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
FOX, Sarah 2023 Six Sweets Under
GRAVES, Sarah 2021 Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder 

2018 Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake 

2019 Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake

2020 Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut 

2021 Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle 

2022 Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake 

2023 Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie 
HARRIS, Joanne 1998 Chocolate
HUNTER, Carolyn Q 2017 Killer Chocolate Pie (2017)

2018 Killer Chocolate Pecan Pie (2018)
KAPPES, Tonya 2023 Chocolate Bunny Betrayal 
KEAM, Abigail 2013 Death By Chocolate
KELLY, Diane 2015 Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli (2015)
LIN, Harper 2015 Chocolat Chaud Murder
MCKEVETT, G A  2003 Death by Chocolate
MCKINLAY, Jenn 2015 Dark Chocolate Demise
MEIER. Leslie 2012 Chocolate Covered Murder
MOORE, Addison 2021 Chocolate Chip Cookie Conundrum 
MOORECROFT, M'Lissa 2020 The Chocolate Easter Baking Challenge (2020)
PRESCOTT, Summer 2015 Chocolate Filled Murder

2015 Chocolate Fudge Murder

2016 Hot Chocolate Murder 

2016 White Chocolate Murder

2018 German Chocolate Killer 

2018 Chocolate Cherry Killer 
PRESSEY, Rose 2019 Death by Chocolate Cupcake (2019)
ROBINSON, David W 2013 The Chocolate Egg Murders
ROMERIL, Christina 2022 A Christmas Candy Killing

2023 A Nutcracker Nightmare
St. JAMES, Dorothy 2017 Asking for Truffle

2018 Playing with Bonbon Fire 

2019 In Cold Chocolate 

2020 Bonbon with the Wind
STOUT, Rex 1937 The Red Box/Case of the Red Box
SUZETTE, Kathleen 2018 Chocolate Covered Murder (as by Kate Bell)

2019 Chocolate Heart Killer 

2020 Chocolate Cake and a Murder
SWANSON. Denise 2005 Murder Of A Chocolate Covered Cherry
WEISS, Kirsten 2019 Chocolate a la Murder

‘Twenty Seven Minutes’ by Ashley Tate

Published by Headline Publishing Group,
1 February 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-0354151-2 (HB)

Twenty Seven minutes is essentially a story about loss and grief.  A beautiful young girl, Phoebe Dean, died after the vehicle she was travelling in crashed into the barrier on a high bridge that crossed a deep river. There were two other young people in the car, Phoebe’s brother, Grant, who was driving, and Becca who believed that she and Grant were going to make a life together.

These three individuals, along with two of their contemporaries, brother and sister June and Wyatt are the main characters in a book that embraces numerous others including relatives, school friends, the odd official, a barman and shopworkers. It is set in a small Canadian town, West Wilmer where everybody knows everybody else and they all have long memories.

The plot vacillates continually between the time of the accident, and the present day.  Phoebe’s mother had been too distraught to hold a wake for her daughter at the time of the accident. Now, ten years later, much to Grant’s horror she has decided to hold a memorial gathering in her home.  Once again, questions arise about what caused the crash, and why Grant waited around half an hour to summon the help that could have saved his sister’s life. The three youngsters in the car had been at a party. Had they drunk too much? Had Grant waited until his breathalyzer test would be ok? Was Becca lying to protect Grant? Could she really not remember what happened on that dark and rainy night?  Why didn’t Grant want the bridge to be demolished?

Wyatt, a disturbed young drug dealer had disappeared on the night of the accident. Much to his sister June’s amazement he reappears in time for Phoebe’s memorial. He says he knows exactly what happened on the bridge ten years ago and intends tell all at the memorial event.

This is an impressive first book. Ashley Tate excels at building her characters and describing the complicated interrelationships that exist within and between families, along with the insidious dangers inherent in small town gossip. Unfortunately, both Phoebe and Grant’s and June and Wyatt’s fathers have long since deserted their families, leaving wives and children to survive as best they can in highly dysfunctional units.  To say that nobody is happy is an understatement. The only person with a caring, albeit controlling, family is Becca who constantly worries about her broken relationship with Grant. This slow-moving tale will definitely appeal to those interested in guilt and the psychology of unhappy and damaged individuals.
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Reviewer Angela Crowther.

Ashley Tate worked for over a decade as an editorial writer and editor for various publications as well as Canada's first online magazine. Writing a novel and seeing it published is really the only thing on her bucket list and she's ecstatic to be checking that off. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, two children. 

Follow Ashley on Twitter @tate_ab
Follow Ashley on Instagram @ashleytateauthor

Angela Crowther is a retired scientist.  She has published many scientific papers but, as yet, no crime fiction.  In her spare time Angela belongs to a Handbell Ringing group, goes country dancing and enjoys listening to music, particularly the operas of Verdi and Wagner.

Monday 25 March 2024

‘Going There’ by Donna Fletcher Crow

Published by Verity Press,
1 December 2023.
ISBN: 979-886832465-9 (PB)

Tales from the Riviera and Beyond

Donna Fletcher Crow’s latest book, Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond, weaves together travel writing, historical fact and legend, and short mysteries featuring three amateur detective couples from her novels. 

The book describes the author’s journey through France and Switzerland in 2021 when many countries still had Covid restrictions in place, particularly for travellers.  Possible delays notwithstanding, Donna, heads for Europe accompanied by daughter-in-law Kelly, also a published writer.  They plan to enjoy the delights of the French Riviera and spend some time with Kelly’s daughter, Jane, a ballet student about to finish summer school in Monaco.  Each destination prompts a short story from the author. 

Crow’s love of  Europe and the creative writers and artists it has inspired over many years enriches the text with a touch as light as the lace worn by Lady Antonia Danvers from the writer’s ‘Lord Danvers Investigates’ series.  Appropriately, therefore, Charles and his wife Antonia star in the first mystery, Le Crime Passionnel (Crime of Passion), a title that is not quite as straightforward as it might suggest. 

The next stop on the journey takes the travellers to the sunshine of St Tropez and gives rise to the second story, La Mère Décrète (The Mother Decrees).  This time it is Richard and Elizabeth Spenser, the academic couple from ‘The Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense Series,’ who are confronted with a perplexing conundrum.  But will they be able to help? 

Then back to the real-life Riviera adventure, where Donna and Kelly arrive in Cap Ferrat.  The idyllic location gives rise to the second Elizabeth and Richard tale when the couple find themselves in a most unusual situation, the nature of which can be gleaned from the enigmatic title Le Garçon Fantôme (The Ghost Boy). 

Donna and Kelly leave for Monaco where they meet up with Jane.  The wealth and glamour associated with the tiny sovereign city state provides an appropriate setting for Monégasque Fracas (Mayhem in Monaco) and for the detectives from ‘The Monastery Murders’ series to make their first appearance in the book.  Felicity and Antony are travelling in France when a carefree walk leads to a nasty discovery! 

Reluctantly, our literary ladies must then bid farewell to the Riviera and journey on to Tours where a visit to a winery inspires Donna’s second Antony and Felicity short story,  Le Vieux Vigneron (the Old Winemaker)in which Antony confronts a clash between tradition and modernity.

Basel is the next stop on the 2021 itinerary.  Here the travellers visit Saint Gallen and its famous monastery, which inspires the final evocative story Flüstern der Legend (Whispers of Legend). Antony leaves his beloved Felicity to do some research only to make a discovery he had not anticipated!

Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond is beautifully written and packed with charming insights about each stopping point.  The stories are captivating and thought provoking as Donna Fletcher Crow crafts a tapestry of creative writing that is joyful, inspiring and informative.

Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Dot Marshall-Gent

Donna Fletcher Crow is a former English teacher and a Life Member of the Jane Austin Society of America. She is the author of 50 books, mostly novels dealing with British history.  The award-winning Glastonbury, A Novel of the Holy Grail, an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history, is her best-known work.  She is also the author of The Monastery Murders: A Very Private Grave, A Darkly Hidden Truth and An Unholy Communion as well as the Lord Danvers series of Victorian true-crime novels and the literary suspense series The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries. Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho.  They have 4 adult children and 12 grandchildren. She is an enthusiastic gardener.

To read more about all of Donna’s books and see pictures from her garden and research trips go to: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/

You can follow her on Facebook at: http://ning.it/OHi0MY

Dot Marshall-Gent worked in the emergency services for twenty years first as a police officer, then as a paramedic and finally as a fire control officer before graduating from King’s College, London as a teacher of English in her mid-forties.  She completed a M.A. in Special and Inclusive Education at the Institute of Education, London and now teaches part-time and writes mainly about educational issues.  Dot sings jazz and country music and plays guitar, banjo and piano as well as being addicted to reading mystery and crime fiction.

‘An Aura of Mystery’ by Joy Ellis

Published by Joffe Books,
10 January 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-83526329-7 (PB)

 
Ellie McEwan, owner of a florist shop, is driving northbound on the A3 when at Wisley a young man dashes out in front of her. Travelling at seventy miles as hour she has no chance to avoid the lad, hits him and smashes into the crash barrier. Ellie is badly hurt and taken to hospital where she undergoes a successful operation – she had a depressed piece of bone in her brain.

An old friend of hers, Carole Meyer organises a visitor rota. She is actually a clairvoyant and on reading her Tarot cards learns that Ellie will have the ability to develop a certain power, it leaves her feeling uneasy. Her readings are proved true for when Ellie regains consciousness, she sees bright lights surrounding everyone she encounters. She is assured there is nothing wrong with her eyesight or brain.

Together with Professor Michael Seale, a specialist on auric sight, Carole slowly teaches Ellie how to control the bright auras she sees and even be able to use the “gift”.

Ellie realises how her new found ability can be of use when she sees “bad colours” coming off of a new born baby. She tells a nurse she knows well, and a doctor operates, saving the baby’s life.

Meanwhile Detective Chief Inspector Bob Foreman and his team are investigating the murders of two women. Their hands have been crushed and mutilated and the only connection between them is that they were both skilled professionals. The police have no real leads and now a key witness has gone missing. 

Ellie’s skills come to the attention of Bob Foreman and when there is a third murder, exactly the same as the others, he reluctantly turns to her for help.

Ellie comes out of hospital and lives with Carole while recovering fully. Michael also stays there to help Ellie develop her new found skills. Carole is not happy about Foreman’s intended involvement of Ellie in the murder investigations and has an extremely upsetting vision but keeps quiet about it. However, Ellie seems set on helping in any way especially when a woman who is thought to have seen the murderer, goes missing.

Worryingly, just as Carole feared, Ellie now puts herself in extreme danger. Will she survive unscathed?

I do enjoy Joy Ellis’s books and found An Aura of Mystery dealt with a fascinating subject. All police forces could benefit from someone like Ellie!

Highly recommended for readers interested in a thriller dealing with something different.
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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

Joy Ellis was born in Kent but spent most of her working life in London and Surrey. She was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the Sixties and Seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. She swore that one day she would have a shop of her own. It took until the early Eighties, but she did it. Sadly the recession wiped it out, and she embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager Joy now lives in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with her partner, Jacqueline. She had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now as her partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; her choice of genre was suddenly clear. She has set her crime thrillers in the misty fens.   

www.joyellis.info

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.