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December Cozies and ebook Giveaway

December 8, 2018 by Author Leena Clover 35 Comments

December is an exciting time for book lovers. There are plenty of cozy mystery releases in November and December. If you are a prolific reader like me, you are spoiled for choice. I have so many books on my reading list, it’s getting hard to keep track of it. Soon, I will be setting up reading goals for 2019 and will make a list of books I want to read in the new year. But December is still with us and there is plenty of opportunity to get some reading done before we ring in the new year. (Yes, I have started talking about the new year.)

Did you come here because you read something about a giveaway? Don’t worry, I got you covered. In the spirit of the season, I will be giving away a few things over here. I don’t have a concrete plan for it yet so it’s going to be random. The best way to keep track is to open all the emails and read them. Who knows what surprise you might find inside?

The first giveaway is simple – a copy of the first book in the Pelican Cove series – Strawberries and Strangers.

If you don’t own a copy, this is a great way to test drive the series. If you do own a copy, you can enter for someone else. When you win, just send me the email address of the person – friend, daughter, aunt etc. – you want to get the book and I will send the copy to that person.

How do you win this copy? Simple! Just leave a comment below on this blog post. I will gather all the names and select a random winner.

Let’s get back to the December reading list now.

December Cozy Mysteries

Many of the new releases seem to be later books in the series. All my picks are. But don’t worry. I think they can be enjoyed as standalones. If you are feeling particularly voracious, you can read the whole series.

Reindeer & Robberies: A Cruise Ship Mystery by Hope Callaghan

If you love cruising and cozy mysteries, this series is a match made in heaven for you. I hope I have half Millie’s enthusiasm when I reach her age.

The Christmas Season is in full swing on board the cruise ship, Siren of the Seas thanks to Andy Walker, the ship’s cruise director who is all in on his new holiday theme, “The Reindeer Games.”

Millie and her co-worker, Danielle, are tasked with taking charge of the holiday theme and everything is running smoothly until one of the reindeer comes up missing. But the missing reindeer is the least of the security staff’s worries after a string of thefts are reported.

Millie jumps in with an investigation of her own that soon turns south when a stalker surfaces, determined to make her life miserable or worse yet.

Despite escalating incidents from the deranged stalker, Millie sorts the clues and discovers a possible link between the mysterious thefts and her stalker that hits close to home.

Can Millie survive the holiday season…or even more terrifying…make it out alive?

Wedding Cake and Woes: Peridale Café Cozy Mystery by Agatha Frost

If you like British cozies, this one is a must read. Set in the small Cotswolds village of Peridale, this series will have your mouth hanging open with the vibrant characters and fantastic crimes.

After nearly a year of being engaged, the time has finally come for Julia and Barker’s wedding, but like most things in Peridale, things don’t exactly go smoothly. Julia wakes up late on the damp and grey morning of her wedding to find that her cake has been ruined, her flowers are the wrong colour, and the cars are stuck in a flood. However, all of that pales in comparison when the choirmaster, Gloria Gray, drops down dead during her solo in the middle of the ceremony.

With their wedding ruined, Julia and Barker must pick themselves up again, but they soon find purpose when Gloria’s best friend, Flora Hill, begs them to investigate Gloria’s death. Julia soon discovers that Gloria’s dictator-style running of the choir created more than a few enemies, and when the police confirm that the bossy choirmaster was poisoned, Julia vows to solve the case.

Who killed Flora, and more importantly, why in the middle of Julia’s wedding?

Charlotte Murder: A Seagrass Sweets Cozy Mystery by Sandi Scott

If you like cozy mysteries featuring yummy food, you will love the duo of Ashley and Patty, two friends looking to get into the food truck business.

Ashley Adams and her best friend Patty LaFontaine are a day away from realizing their dream of owning a food truck and nothing can dampen their enthusiasm—not even finding a body.

After finding the perfect truck to expand their catering business, Ashley and Patty are dismayed to find the dead body of the owner of the sales lot when they arrive bright and early to take possession of their purchase.

When the Sheriff’s department confirms that the death is suspicious, Ashley starts poking around to satisfy her curiosity. In the meantime, her boyfriend Ryan is behaving very strangely, and Ashley is worried that he is getting tired of being with her already.

Ashley and Patty plan menus, paint their new truck and work together to find a killer in this delightful Seagrass Sweets cozy mystery series.

What about you? Do you read lots of books during the holidays or do you take a break? Leave a comment below and let me know. It’s a great way to enter my giveaway. You can also just say Hi. I am looking forward to choosing one lucky winner. Happy Holidays!

SNEAK PEEK: Parfaits and Paramours and Cozy Mystery Sale

November 17, 2018 by Author Leena Clover Leave a Comment

Have you read Parfaits and Paramours yet? Readers are loving it. It’s full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Here is a sample excerpt from the book. I hope you enjoy it.

And oh yes, there’s a cozy mystery sale going on where a bunch of authors have come together to bring you 99c cozies. Go check it out and grab a few for the long weekend.

http://www.cozymysterydeals.com/2018/11/late-november-cozy-mystery-sale.html

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving week ahead. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pafaits and Paramours Sneak Peek

Jenny King maneuvered her van around a steep curve and climbed over a small hill. She was still in awe of this exclusive part of Pelican Cove. The island’s wealthy residents had their estates in this part of town. Sprawling mansions, extensive grounds and private beaches were the norm here. So were sparkling swimming pools and an army of domestic staff.

“Can you turn the heat on, please?” Jenny’s friend Heather Morse asked with a shiver.

Spring had come early to Pelican Cove, bringing warmer days. Flowers were beginning to bloom along Main Street, promising a riot of color in the coming weeks. But the temperature dropped as the sun crept closer to the horizon. A large mosaic of pinks and mauves was scattered across the March sky, heralding sunset.

Jenny fiddled with the temperature knob and muttered an oath. The van was a relic, rarely used unless Jenny had any deliveries or catering jobs. Jenny didn’t remember the last time she had paid for a full tank of gas for the rundown vehicle.

“We’re almost there, Heather,” she said in a chiding tone. “I told you to wear a warm sweater.”

“Why don’t you fix the heat?” Heather asked with a pout. “At least get an estimate from the auto shop.”

“I did that,” Jenny sighed. “I need to replace the thermostat. It’s going to cost more than this pile of junk is worth.”

The two friends bickered as the sky darkened and the sun set on the horizon.

“Give it a rest, Heather,” Jenny pleaded. “I need to catch my breath before Ada Newbury launches her list of complaints.”

Ada Newbury was one of the richest women in Pelican Cove. The Newburys belonged to an elite class of the island’s population, the Pioneers. Their ancestors had come to the island hundreds of years ago and had been one of the first settlers. People still murmured about how the Newburys had become rich overnight, thanks to sunken treasure. But no one could deny that the Newburys were now rich as Croesus.

“She won’t,” Heather dismissed. “She loves your food. Why do you think she’s paying double to have you cater this party?”

Jenny’s face broke into a smile. Her life had taken an unexpected turn. She couldn’t believe people from far and wide came to Pelican Cove to visit her café and gorge on her delicious food.

Jenny King had been a suburban soccer mom for most of her life. One day, her husband of twenty years had come home with devastating news. He was going out with a much younger girl who was now in the family way. He asked Jenny to clear out.

Jenny had sought shelter on the remote island of Pelican Cove. Her aunt, Star, had welcomed her warmly and opened her house and heart to Jenny. After letting her mope and sulk for a few weeks, Star had cajoled Jenny into starting work at her friend Petunia’s café. The rest, as they said, was history.

Jenny had started working her magic in the kitchen and now the whole town of Pelican Cove was singing her praises. People lined up to taste her food. Jenny didn’t disappoint, coming up with delicious new recipes every few days, using the area’s abundant local produce and fresh seafood.

She had built a new life for herself on the island. She had made lasting friendships and found something she had never imagined she would have in her life again. Jenny King was in love.

Instead of settling into the mid forties’ drudgery she thought was her lot in life, Jenny was writing a new chapter in her life.

“Do you think we have enough food?” Jenny asked Heather worriedly.

Ada Newbury had been too busy to go over the menu with Jenny. She had just wanted it to be fresh and modern. Jenny wondered what that meant. She just hoped the dishes she had come up with would pass muster with the old harridan.

“Everyone’s going to be licking their fingers, Jenny,” Heather said loyally. “Just wait and see.”

Jenny pulled up outside a set of massive iron gates. A security guard came out of a small cabin and waved at them.

“Are you from the Boardwalk Café?” he asked. “You are late.”

He spoke curtly into his phone and the gates swung open.

“It’s two minutes past six,” Jenny cursed. “Plenty of time to set up.”

Ada Newbury was throwing a party for her grandson. He was recently engaged to a girl from the city. Their impending nuptials were the talk of the town. No expense was being spared and the locals were vying for an invitation to the country club extravaganza the wedding promised to be. Ada had arranged the party in lieu of a wedding shower. She called it a meet and greet for both sides of the family.

Jenny drove her van to the back of the house. A marquee had been set up on the lawn and linen covered tables stood ready for the food. A life sized ice sculpture depicting an embracing couple graced the centre of the lawn. Fairy lights were woven through the trees and large paper lanterns swayed in the breeze.

“This place looks beautiful,” Jenny gushed.

“Ada hired a party planner from the city,” Heather supplied. “The planner works with a city based caterer but Ada stuck to her guns. She wanted your food for this party.”

A tall, slim woman stepped out on the porch before Jenny had a chance to reply.

“You’re late,” she complained. “I hope you got everything?”

Loving Parfaits and Paramours? It’s on sale for a limited time. You can go grab it here.

November Cozy Mysteries on my Reading List

November 14, 2018 by Author Leena Clover Leave a Comment

If you are here, you probably love reading cozy mysteries. That’s one thing we share, our love for books, especially a juicy pageturner. I read cozies for years, long before I ever imagined I would take a stab at writing them.

November and December are big release months in the book world. I have had my eye on a few new releases and have lined them up on my Kindle already. My Kindle Unlimited subscription makes it very easy to do so. (If you are not in KU yet, you should definitely read my post about it.)

Kindle Unlimited is a boon for someone like me who reads at least 3-4 books a week. Here are some brand new cozy mysteries from authors I like. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them.

Check these out, maybe you will find a good mystery to add to your reading list. Many of these books are later books in the series. So if you are unfamiliar with the series, you have an entire set of books to binge read during the long weekend.

Spa Retreats and Secrets in Las Vegas: A Humorous Tiffany Black Mystery by A. R. Winters

This series is set in one of my favorite cities – Las Vegas! Tiffany Black is a blackjack dealer at one of the casinos and also likes to do some sleuthing. I read a few early books in the series but I have a lot of catching up to do.

Fresh off a shift of slinging cards, blackjack dealer and private investigator Tiffany Black takes a frenzied call from Mary Bilford, the services manager at ritzy Spa Renauld.

Mary needs someone to prove she didn’t kill spa client Gina Welling—which means it’s time for Tiffany and Ian to go undercover and infiltrate the spa.

Who stood to benefit from Gina’s death? Was it ex-husband Harry, who was coincidentally visiting the spa while his ex-wife was there; nurse Jasper, who’s intent on looking out for himself; or even part of the spa’s security detail? Or was it Mary Bilford all along, concealing her ulterior motive, just as the LVPD suspect?

Of course, once Nanna learns of the investigation happening in the swanky spa, she insists on joining them! Ian and Tiffany make a new four-legged friend, and Ryan has an important message for Tiffany…

Meanwhile, someone at the spa is out for blood… will Tiffany survive being in the den of the killer?

Murder at the Church by Dianne Harman

A new series by Dianne Harman. This is just the second book in a new series set in the mountains. I can’t wait to start reading.

A troubled woman. A prayer. A murder in a church. An orphaned daughter.

When she moved back to Cottonwood Springs after a divorce and the publishing company she was working for went bankrupt, Brigid never thought she’d have a ready-made teen-age daughter, a huge Newfoundland dog, and a hunky neighbor who wants to get to know her better, a lot better.

But first she has to solve Maggie’s murder. When a woman has stolen money and someone else’s husband, finding her murderer is not everyone’s top priority.

Pineapple Gingerbread Men: A Pineapple Port Mystery by Amy Vansant

She had me at pineapple!

Give yourself an early Christmas present and delve into this holiday themed cozy. Touted wild and funny, you must check out this whodunit set in a retirement community in Florida.

Sheriff Frank asks newly-minted private detective Charlotte to help him crack the case, but she has no idea those darn gingerbread men will start showing up everywhere. What did Santa do that made them so angry? And what’s the secret in his colorful Christmas-themed bureau?

Charlotte is forced to split her time between searching for Santa’s killer and helping Declan’s crazy ex-Stephanie stop a corrupt district attorney in exchange for a book that could help solve more crimes in the future. She never thought she’d help calculating Stephanie with anything…but as this story comes to it’s shocking ending, you’ll find it could be Stephanie who’s finally bitten off more cookie than she can chew…

The Guilty Party by Susan Harper

What attracted me to the Backroom Bookstore Cozy Mystery series is the bookstore. I am very picky about my witch cozies (a post on them soon). I can’t wait to dig into this one.

Monica Montoya and her sister Mona are heading to a party at Dracula’s spooky mansion. When a guest turns up dead with incriminating bite marks, Uncle Drac is dragged away to jail? Sure that their uncle is innocent, the girls must sort through a supernatural cast of suspects. Can they sort through the magic and find the guilty party?

So now you have plenty of November cozy mysteries to enjoy.

Until next time, Happy Reading! 🙂

COVER REVEAL: Parfaits and Paramours – Book 7 Pelican Cove

October 29, 2018 by Author Leena Clover Leave a Comment

Parfaits and Paramours! That’s the 7th book in the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series. The one you have all been eagerly waiting for.

Many of you have posted on Facebook and written to me asking about the latest update around the next book. It’s coming soon. Today, I have a cover reveal for you. You can drool on it for a few days until the book is released.

I hope you enjoy this cover. Parfaits and Paramours is coming your way soon. Promise!

Want to be the first to know when the book goes live? Please sign up for my newsletter or connect with me on Facebook at https://facebook.com/leenaclovercozymysterybooks

Without further delay, here is the cover!! Ta da!

Blurb and Sneak Peek are coming soon. Can you guess what this book is about? 🙂

Have a great week ahead!

1920s Women Sleuths – Historical Mysteries You will Love

April 30, 2018 by Author Leena Clover 4 Comments

I grew up reading mystery books by Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. Almost all of these had a British setting and were set in the early or middle 1900s. There’s something charming about mysteries set in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, isn’t there? That’s the period between the two world wars. Agatha Christie became famous during this period. Although there are many mysteries written at that time that are now being resurrected (British Library Crime Classics for example), many modern writers are also writing stories set in the past.

I am going to tell you about some of my favorite historical mystery series today. Almost all of these star women sleuths. So get ready to load up your Kindle.

Before we delve in the past, an update on what’s happening in the present. Strawberries and Strangers, the first book in my new Pelican Cove series goes live this week. I am so excited I can hardly get anything done. And when that happens, I do what I like best – Read!

Top cozy mystery authors have come together to create an anthology that supports No Kill animal charities. Check this out. It’s on sale now at 99c so this is the best time to grab your copy. You get 12 books for a throwaway price and a ‘howlingly good read’ for the dog days of summer.

Fasten your seatbelts now, and get ready to plunge into the roaring twenties.

Women Sleuths and Historical Mysteries You will Love

These fearless femme fatales dress to kill.

Phryne Fisher – by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne lives in Australia and flies her own plane. Yes. Purists might be shocked by what she gets up to in her spare time. She has a flair for adventure and a devil may care attitude. If you love a strong woman who knows her mind and doesn’t think twice about flaunting established norms, you will love Phryne Fisher.

Lady Hardcastle – by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle did her bit for king and country during the war. Now she is living the quiet life in a small village in Gloucester. But there’s a murder or two to keep her busy. Lady Hardcastle has a phone installed and is even learning to drive. Cotswolds fans will love the setting.

Ginger Gold – by Lee Strauss

Ginger Gold was born in Britain but grew up in America. She is now a war widow and also has a title. Lady Gold did some secret work for the government during the war. Now she is back in London, learning to drive on the wrong side of the road. On her first day back home, she finds a ten year old corpse in Hartigan House. Then her ancestral manor in the country is struck by a poltergeist. Ginger fearlessly tackles these obstacles, while trying hard not to fall for the charms of Inspector Basil Reed.

Daisy Gumm – by Alice Duncan

This one is set in the United States in California, a world very different from Downton Abbey. Daisy dabbles in the occult, taking everything from tarot cards to crystal balls in her stride. Daisy marries young but her husband is crippled in the war. She has a strong support system of friends and family. And yes, she solves murder mysteries too.

Flavia De Luce – by Alan Bradley

Flavia is a precocious 11 year old girl who lives at a country estate with her extended family. Left to her own devices, she spends time in a laboratory that belonged to an old uncle. Flavia is banished to a remote school in Canada, far away from her tiresome family. While she does get entrenched in a murder, she can’t wait to get back home to Buckshaw.

I am sure there are plenty more women sleuths of the 1920s and 1950s but these are my top picks. Have you read any of these? How did you find them? Can you recommend any other historical mystery series for fellow readers?

Please leave a comment below and join the discussion.

COVER REVEAL – Announcing the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series

April 10, 2018 by Author Leena Clover 4 Comments

Hello there! I have exciting news. I am finally ready to announce my brand new cozy mystery series. Read on to get the scoop and drool over the yummy cover reveal of the first book.

The Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery series is set in a small seaside town. Pelican Cove is a remote island off the coast of Virginia. Don’t worry, it’s connected to the mainland by a bridge. Folks in Pelican Cove are a peculiar lot. You will meet them one by one in the upcoming books.

Our protagonist, Jenny King, is a 40 something woman who just got dumped by her husband. Her twenty year marriage has dissolved, her only son is off to college and her husband has turned her out of her home. Jenny seeks shelter and solace in Pelican Cove and is trying to pick up the pieces of her broken life.

There’s more (on the lines of murder and mayhem), but first, let’s have a look at the book cover! I have prepared a brief blurb to go with it.

Strawberries and Strangers

Exclusive beach party takes a murderous turn.

Dumped by her cheating husband, Jenny King is trying to build a new life in the small seaside town of Pelican Cove. Locals are lining up at the Boardwalk Café for her tasty cakes and muffins. But when her aunt is accused of killing a stranger, Jenny is forced to set her apron aside and put on her sleuthing cap.

Jenny battles with the cranky local sheriff and quirky local characters to get to the truth. Aided by her new friends, she will move heaven and earth to find out who the dead stranger was and what he was doing in Pelican Cove.

If you like cozy murder mysteries with friendly small towns, scenic settings, yummy food and a touch of romance, you will like Strawberries And Strangers.

Now tell me, are you eager to know more about Pelican Cove? Snippets are coming your way soon.

P.S. I am sending out advanced review copies of the book right now. Please do write to me if you are interested. You should preferably have read and reviewed at least one of my books before.