by Sharon Pape and Kym Roberts It always amazes me when I approached an author I don’t know with a hairbrained idea, and she actually says, “Yes!” Yet the writing community is that way: adventure seekers to the core. My guest today is one of those brave souls who didn’t hesitate to jump on board this crazy ride between her fictional characters and mine. Sharon Pape, author of the fabulous Abracadabra Mystery series, has co-written today’s blog with me. It started out as an interview between characters, but ended up as a short story we hope you’ll enjoy. Without further ado, here’s Magick in the Barn! I looked around and my knees nearly buckled. I closed my eyes, said a silent prayer to anyone listening. “Please, let this be a dream.” I slowly peaked out my left eye. No one in the heavens heard a thing I said. We were standing in the middle of what appeared to be a magick shoppe from 17th century England. There were beakers and bottles and antique fixtures my daddy would absolutely love. Princess nudged my leg and the breath I’d been holding so tight in my chest escaped through my lips. I sounded…

Everyone is more than ready for the trees to bloom and the flowers to sprout. The temperatures are finally rising and hopefully *fingers crossed* we’ve all experience the last snowfall of winter! Sitting in the sun soaking up some vitamin D is finally a possibility, and what better way to celebrate the return of nice weather than to do it with a blanket in the park and a book in your hands? Here are four new mysteries for you to enjoy this spring season. And as a tease for next week, one of these authors will be joining me for a short story right here on the Cozy Corner! It’s your turn to dig into the clues, and figure out the mystery! But, you’ll only be able to do that, by going to each author’s social media sites! QUEEN ANNE’S LACE by Susan Wittig Albert China Bayles #26 A present day ghost leads China Bayles to a secret from Pecan Springs’s past in this haunting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert. While helping Ruby Wilcox clean up the loft above their shops, China comes upon a box of antique handcrafted lace and old photographs. Following the…

It’s springtime! Although many of us are not feeling the effects yet, we can benefit from all of the hard work mystery authors did while hibernating with their computers over the winter. This week I have four great cozies for you to check out. Magic by the sea with cupcakes at a festival—it doesn’t get any better than that! A MAGICAL MATCH by Juliet Blackwell Witchcraft Mystery #9 Witch and vintage store owner Lily Ivory faces her most difficult mystery to date with a case of mistaken identity that hits close to home… Lily Ivory and her friends are planning a 1950s-themed brunch to benefit the local women’s shelter. When a figure from her past shows up unannounced, threatening her unless she returns something that belonged to him, Lily’s fiancé, Sailor, steps in to defend her. After the same man is found dead later that day, Sailor is the primary suspect. He swears he’s innocent, but multiple witnesses ID him as the perpetrator of the assault. Lily vows to clear his name…only she’s not sure where to start with the mounting evidence against him. When she sees Sailor in the neighborhood despite knowing he’s in jail, Lily starts to wonder…

One of the great thing about cozy mysteries are the recipes! Everyone loves to delve into the scrumptious foods authors describe in their books, and Rebecca Adler has some of the best Tex-Mex recipes out there. After reading her latest book <CINCO DE MURDER, I had to ask her for a taste of Texas. To my delight, and soon to be yours too, Rebecca didn’t just give me one recipe, she covered us for a whole meal! Check out her recipes for salsa, chicken quesadillas and pecan pralines-yum! Don’t forget to pick up a copy of CINCO DE MURDER, A Taste of Texas Mystery by Rebecca Adler on Tuesday 4/3/2018! CINCO DE MURDER by Rebecca Adler Taste of Texas #3 Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan serves up more Lone Star justice in this spicy mystery from the author of The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole. It’s fiesta time in Broken Boot, Texas, and tourists are pouring into town faster than free beer at a bull roping for the mouthwatering Cinco de Mayo festivities. Tex-Mex waitress Josie Callahan, her feisty abuela, and even her spunky Chihuahua Lenny are polishing their folklórico dances for Saturday’s big parade, while Uncle…

A Review of S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett, is a fast-paced mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know more. The story starts off with the main character, Greer MacDonald, coming to a private school named S.T.A.G.S. She finds herself alone, with no friends in a school that is much fancier than her last, but she’s managing fairly well during the first part of the school year. Then during Justitium, the school’s mid-term break, Greer gets a letter slipped under her door from one of the Medievals, the most popular group in the school, inviting her to spend Justitium at Longcross Hall—the home of the most popular Medieval, Henry Warlencourt. Is this invitation like any old invitation to a birthday party or special event, or is there a hidden story behind the listed events of “Huntin’ Shootin’ and Fishin’“? M.A. Bennett knows how to organize and compose a novel to make the reader feel like she is truly a part of the story. From the first word of page one, I knew this was going to be a book that kept me up at night secretly reading. I could never stop reading….

This week I’m featuring four new mysteries you can’t pass up. These four authors have supplied a variety of different types of mysteries to choose from—like the delicious cooking whodunit’s of Joanne Fluke, or the sweet teas twisters of Laura Childs. Perhaps you’re in the mood for Anna Lee Huber’s historical cliffhangers, or the sassy sleuths of Erin Huss. You really cant go wrong with these mysteries; there’s one to fit every mood and personality of mystery lovers. BANANA CREAM PIE MURDER by Joanne Fluke A Hannah Swensen Mystery #21 A romantic seven-day cruise is the perfect start to bakery owner Hannah Swensen’s marriage. However, with a murder mystery heating up in Lake Eden, Minnesota, it seems the newlywed’s homecoming won’t be as sweet as anticipated… After an extravagant honeymoon, Hannah’s eager to settle down in Lake Eden and turn domestic daydreams into reality. But when her mother’s neighbor is discovered murdered in the condo downstairs, reality becomes a nightmarish investigation. Victoria Bascomb, once a renowned stage actress, was active in the theater community during her brief appearance in town…and made throngs of enemies along the way. Did a random intruder murder the woman as police claim, or was a…

A Review by Kym and Gidget Today’s blog was a special treat for me. I read the book along with a young reader, and then we sat down and wrote our reviews. This was her very first review, and I have to say, I think Gidget has a knack for the craft. Much more so than I do. A well-written review has insight into the reader’s mind—its audience. The review should capture the attention while bringing out positive and negative details the reader might find helpful in making a decision about the book. The review does not stay in the character’s mind where I tend to dwell. Yet as an author, I have to wonder if that isn’t where my insight should begin. Like most authors, I have stories busting at the seams to get out. This week’s blog as taught me that maybe, just maybe, I should learn something from young Gidget about engaging the reader’s imagination first, to get my stories heard. I hope you enjoy our reviews of FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST by Megan Miranda. FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST by Megan Miranda Jessa Whitworth knew she didn’t belong in her ex-boyfriend Caleb’s room. But she couldn’t deny…

The first week of February is always cold. Even in Texas, we’re in the thirties and I have to say, the temperature is the one number I want to see move upward this month. Not the ugly bathroom scale number. Not the ridiculous prices at the grocery store. And certainly not the eye-popping numbers on my eye glass prescription. Those are bad numbers, but I do have a good number for you to consider—the four books I’m featuring this week! MURDER ON THE ROCKS by Shawn Reilly Simmons Red Carpet Catering #5 After surviving a brazen attack at one of her favorite local cafes, Penelope Sutherland is ready to escape the big city and head to her next film set. She and her Red Carpet Catering crew set up their kitchen on location in the tranquil mountains of Vermont. But peace and quiet aren’t on the menu. It starts to get hot when a series of accidents befall the celebrity tennis pro consulting on the film. Then mix in an uptight director, an isolated location, and a quirky bunch of locals with secrets of their own and that’s a recipe for disaster. Penelope soon suspects a connection between the cafe…

The new year is always filled with fresh prospects, new beginnings and hope for a better tomorrow. Yet sometimes, you just want to hang onto what made you comfortable last year. The time-tested and proven. As a mystery reader, its no different. Your favorite sleuths hold a special place in your heart you aren’t about to give up. And why should you? Yet you still can’t resist the shiny and new cozy that holds so much intrigue—so don’t! This week I have some great return heroines, one that’s new to me, but she’s been around for three previous books (which gave me a backlist to check out) and a bonus mystery of a brand new series that will have you looking ahead for more! If you know these authors, check out their latest mystery and return to what you love. If they’re new to you, celebrate the beginning of a new relationship with a tried and true series. And don’t forget to check out an up and coming series you’re sure add to your list of favorites. CRUST NO ONE by Winnie Archer A Bread Shop Mystery #2 Business is booming at Yeast of Eden. But with a deadly mystery…

It’s hard to pick the best mysteries of the past year, especially when I’m limited on space. I don’t feature a book I don’t love, so if you’ve seen it on the Cozy Corner, you know I adored it. Yet each year I torture myself by trying to list the best mysteries, and considering I never come close to reading all of the books in my to-be-read file, it’s an impossible task. What if the best is still at the bottom of that pile?! This year the challenge seemed even more difficult and my pile even bigger, which led me to choose books that resonated with me, for one reason or another, throughout the past twelve months. I hope you enjoy my picks for 2017’s best mysteries. ON HER MAJESTY’S FRIGHTFULLY SECRET SERVICE ON HER MAJESTY’S FRIGHTFULLY SECRET SERVICE by Rhys Bowen Royal Spyness Mystery #11 In the new Royal Spyness Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Crowned and Dangerous, Lady Georgiana Rannoch juggles secret missions from the Queen, Darcy, and her mother. But it’s all in a day’s work when you’re thirty-fifth in line to the British Crown. When Darcy runs off on another secret assignment,…