It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place for bloggers to meet up and share what they've been, and are about to be, reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself and an opportunity to visit, comment, and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. 

This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. and Sheila passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

This meme is a fantastic way to start off my reading week with a look at the books you all have chosen and to add my own. I wish you a happy reading week ahead!

I've been out of the blogosphere for a while and hope to reconnect and post more often (fingers crossed). Book Date was always a personal favorite of mine and I'm happy to pick up where I left off whenever my schedule allows.

What I read last week . . .

For my review, click here.

What I'm reading now . . .

For my thoughts on this book so far, click here.

What I'm reading next . . .

 

 

Now I'd like to know . . .

 What have you just finished reading? What are you reading now and next? 

This It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Murder on Oak Street by I.M. Foster

 

Today I'm participating in the Murder on Oak Street Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. Be sure to enter the giveaway contest below.

 

About the book . . . 

Murder on Oak Street (A South Shore Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Inez M. Foster (November 12, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 503 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 173333758X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1733337588
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 503 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1733337571
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1733337571
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BFMT4WL2

 

Synopsis . . . New York, 1904. 

After two years as a coroner’s physician for the City of New York, Daniel O’Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it’s time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.

Though the coroner advises him that life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.

Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?
 
My review . . . Doctor and coroner Daniel O'Halleran remains haunted by his very first death case two years earlier. He can't shake the feeling that his conclusions were ignored and justice wasn't served. Daniel finds himself adrift after this experience, coupled with the unexpected break up of his betrothal which shook his self-esteem to the core. The young doctor hopes that moving from New York City to Long Island for a similar position will offer him a fresh start.

As circumstances would have it, Daniel is given another chance to revisit the old case when Kathleen Brissedon, the local young librarian, asks him to take a closer look. She hopes that reexamining the case will clear the victim's name and bring a sense of closure for her stepbrother Patrick, the victim's son. Things take an interesting turn when a murder occurs in the town. Daniel's innate investigative abilities turn up clues in the new case that seem eerily connected to the prior one. Can he piece together enough proof to solve both cases and bring the guilty to justice? 

This historical mystery, set in New York's Gilded Age, brings to vivid life the ruthlessness of a group of self-made men and their associates, some of whom will stop at nothing--including murder--to obtain wealth and status. It's a showdown between scoundrels and society's better angels who seek justice and accountability in the face of dastardly deeds. 

The story's many plausible suspects, motives, and red herrings move the plot along, held my attention, and kept me guessing until the last few pages. The author has created a multi-layered cast of characters and a budding attraction between the doctor and the librarian, who seem romantically and professionally well-suited. The series is off to a good start with great potential for future storylines and books 2 and 3 already in the works.

About the author . . .  I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth-century archaeologist.

Inez is an historian and librarian, who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.

 

 

Giveaway . . . Click here for a chance to win books 2 and 3 (choice of print or eBook) in the South Shore Mystery Series.

 

 

Purchase link . . . Amazon 

Author links . . . 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IMFosterMysteries

X: https://www.x.com/IMFosterMystery

Threads: https://www.threads.net/imfosterauthor

 

 

Tour participants . . . 

April 14 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT  

April 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 16 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

April 16 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 17 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

April 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 18 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

April 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

April 20 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

April 21 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

April 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 23 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

April 24 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

April 26 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

April 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

April 27 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

 

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Murder on Oak Street in exchange for an honest review.

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

 

Friday Focus: Weekend Reads

 

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by My Head is Full of Books, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.
  

Today I'm featuring Murder on Oak Street by I.M. Foster. The excerpts shared are from an eBook provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

Book Beginning:  Prologue

Friday, April 3, 1902

Cornelius Desmond crept up the staircase of the crumbling tenement. Each step creaked and moaned with the pressure of his heavy boots until, at times, he felt sure he would plunge through to the floor below.

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56% of eBook:  "He's helped you before, then?"

"Yes, on occasion." He glanced nervously around the small restaurant, as if gauging whether or not he could make a break for it.

********************  

My thoughts: This is the first book in a new historical mystery series set during New York's Guilded Age. The story brings to vivid life the ruthlessness of a local group of businessmen and their associates, some of whom will stop at nothing--including murder--to obtain wealth and status. Society's better angels--in the form of a young doctor and librarian--seek justice and accountability in the face of dastardly deeds. The book's many suspects, motives, and red herrings held my attention and kept me guessing who was responsible for the murders until the last few pages.

********************  

From Goodreads:  New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O'Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it's time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.

Though the coroner advises him life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.

Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are somehow connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?

*******************

This Friday Focus: Weekend Reads post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Friday Focus: Weekend Reads

 

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by My Head is Full of Books, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.
  

Today I'm featuring Watch Out For Her by Samantha M. Bailey. The excerpts shared are from an eBook borrowed from the library.

 

I haven't participated for quite a while and am dipping my toe back into the pool, hoping to reconnect with some of my favorite bloggers and post more often.

 

 

 

Book Beginning/First Line:  Chapter One -- Sarah

 

Now

I watch people.

********************  

Page 56:  ". . . I don't know what precipitated this change, what's finally made him really listen when I repeated yet again that I can't handle everything regarding childcare and housekeeping on my own. I hope it's not guilt . . ."

********************  

My thoughts:  I'm several chapters into the book and it's a definite page turner so far. The author is slowly revealing information about a prior relationship between a young family and their babysitter that didn't end well. Something led to a dramatic parting--in fact, the family has moved clear across the country. But what happened and why is there such an unsettling sense of unfinished business between them?

Each chapter, told in the alternating voices of the mother and the babysitter, takes the suspense to new heights. I'm intrigued by each development and eager to find out how the story ends.

********************  

From Goodreads:  Wherever you go…she’ll be watching.

Sarah Goldman, mother to six-year-old Jacob, is relieved to move across the country. She has a lot she wants to leave behind, especially Holly Monroe, the pretty twenty-two-year-old babysitter she and her husband, Daniel, hired to take care of their young son last summer. It started out as a perfect arrangement—Sarah had a childminder her son adored, and Holly found the mother figure she’d always wanted. But Sarah’s never been one to trust very easily, so she kept a close eye on Holly, maybe too close at times. What she saw raised some questions, not only about who Holly really was but what she was hiding. The more Sarah watched, the more she learned—until one day, she saw something she couldn’t unsee, something so shocking that all she could do was flee.

Sarah has put it all behind her and is starting over in a different city with her husband and son. They’ve settled into a friendly suburb where the neighbors, a tight clique of good citizens, are always on the lookout for danger. But when Sarah finds hidden cameras in her new home, she has to wonder: Has her past caught up to her, and worse yet, who’s watching her now?

A spine-tingling, page-turning novel from USA TODAY #1 national bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey, Watch Out for Her is psychological suspense at its very best—a chilling look at trust, voyeurism, and obsession in the modern age, and how far we will go to watch out for those we love.

 

 

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This Friday Focus: Weekend Reads post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

 

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Framed for Murder by Marla A. White

 

Today I'm participating in the Framed for Murder Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. Be sure to enter the giveaway contest below.

 

About the book . . . 

 

 

 

Framed for Murder (A Pine Cove Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Wild Rose Press, Inc. (June 17, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D18C415T
 

Synopsis . . . After a life-changing injury, Mel O’Rourke trades in her badge for bed sheets, running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. Her peaceful life is interrupted when an old frenemy, the notorious and charismatic cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, shows up on her doorstep, claiming she’s been framed for murder. While she’s broken plenty of laws, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone. Good thing she’s a better detective than she is a cook as she sets out to prove Poppy’s innocence.

 

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

My Review . . . Former LAPD police officer Emmeline (Mel) O'Rourke recently relocated to the small resort town of Pine Cove, where she manages the Babbling Brook bed and breakfast. Her radical change in employment and environment is the result of a career-ending injury that left Mel with lingering physical and psychological effects that sometimes exacerbate her new circumstances. Never one to back down from a challenge, Mel is determined to regain both her health and confidence while creating new friendships and an inviting vacation destination--despite her lack of social and innkeeping skills. Her predictable day-to-day existence is thrown a major curve, however, when the criminal who played a role in the incident that ended Mel's career comes to town.

Cat burglar Poppy Phillips turns up at the Babbling Brook B & B seeking Mel's help and a safe shelter after a body is discovered at the site of her most recent robbery. The police are hot on her heels and would like nothing better than to arrest Poppy for murder. While she has a long history as an elusive thief, Poppy has never committed a violent crime. Is it possible she killed scientist Kyle Lange, or is she being framed by the real killer? At first Mel is torn between helping Poppy or turning her in--her cop instincts lead her to believe that Poppy is telling the truth, but if Mel helps Poppy, she risks being charged with aiding and abetting a criminal.

Once on opposite sides of the law, Mel and Poppy join forces to clear Poppy's name. Despite warnings from local Deputy Sheriff and possible love interest Gregg Marks to steer clear of his investigation, Mel can't help herself. Once a cop, always a cop. As the women get closer to finding out who killed Lange and why, Mel finds herself in increasing danger. Will she find the killer before becoming a victim herself?

Framed for Murder contains the essential number of suspects, motives, and red herrings to make it an appealing read. In addition to the murder mystery, the author introduces an element of romance with the protagonist entertaining amorous advances from several directions. The extensive cast of eccentric characters--including family members--reinforces the story's small-town feel and presents the potential for ongoing story lines. My curiosity has been piqued and I'll be on the lookout for future installments of this mystery series.

 

About the author . . . Marla White is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s out in the garden, hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails.

 

 

Fun facts . . .
 

About the book:  The quirky Babbling Brook Bed-and-Breakfast is loosely inspired by the Silver Pines Lodge in Idyllwild. Marla highly recommends staying there if you’re ever in that neck of the woods.

About the author: Marla shares Mel’s nearly debilitating fear of heights. Well, not to the same extent--she can climb a set of stairs--but looking down more than a few flights? No way!

There’s a scene where Mel does a singing bowl session. Marla has done that and thinks it’s pretty cool.

Marla accomplished the dream of becoming a published writer in her late fifties after helping other writers craft their stories for thirty years.

 

Giveaway . . . Enter here for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

 

Purchase links . . .  Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Books

  

Author links . . .

Twitter/X:  https://twitter.com/TheScriptFixer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlawriteswords/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarlaAWhiteAuthor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marlaw825
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21467766.Marla_A_White
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marla-a-white
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MHIzkB
Substack: https://substack.com/@marlawhite?utm_source=edit-profile-page

 

Tour participants . . .

June 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT 

June 17 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 18 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW , CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 19 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 20 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 21 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

June 21 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 22 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 24 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW  

June 25 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 26 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

June 27 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 27 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 30 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

 

 

 

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Framed for Murder from the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

  

Friday Focus: Bookish Memes to Start the Weekend

 

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 which was hosted for many years by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them. Since Freda's blog is currently on hiatus, the meme is being maintained by Anne at My Head is Full of Books. Visit Anne's blog to post and read the weekly entries. 

Today I'm featuring A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales. The excerpts shared are from an eBook borrowed from the library.

 

Book Beginning/First Line:  Chapter 1 -- Introductions

In the English countryside there was a small township called Swampshire, comprised of several lovely mansions and one disgusting swamp.

********************  

56% of eBook:  "There is one thing which might be of interest," Miss Bolton said in a soft voice. Drake stopped pacing and waited for her to continue.

********************  

My thoughts:  Protagonist Beatrice Steele is the most unconventional of young women for her time. She flouts the rules of etiquette and acceptable female behavior to pursue her interest in crime solving. When a murder lands on her figurative doorstep, Beatrice demonstrates her talent for finding clues and drawing sound conclusions based on the evidence she observes.

A Most Agreeable Murder is a most enjoyable read. Its balance of quirky characters, mysterious goings on, humor, and plot twists are first-rate. I hope the author plans a return to this setting and time period for further exploits with the spirited Beatrice.

********************  

From GoodReads: When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township--she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters-- beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she'd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.

For her family's sake, she's vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family's estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior, which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.

Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire's infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires--before anyone else is murdered.

 

 

 

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This Friday Focus: Bookish Memes to Start the Weekend post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim by Victoria Tait

 

Today I'm participating in the Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. Be sure to enter the giveaway contest below.

About the book . . . 

Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim

A Waterwheel Cafe Mystery

Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Cotswold, England
Kanga Press (January 5, 2024)
Number of Pages c. 240
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4V4CCGT

Synopsis . . . A missing child. A half-baked ransom demand. Can a community cop sift through clues and rescue the tot before teatime?

Sergeant Keya Varma’s culinary dreams come true as she joyfully opens her own café. And attending her sister’s wedding is the cherry on the cake. But her excitement sinks like a souffle when a customer’s little boy disappears.

Shaken as well as stirred into action, the part-time police officer joins the search, but she’s shattered when even a ransom payment doesn’t bring the rug rat back home.

For Keya, justice is served with a side of scones, but can she save the child before the clotted cream turns sour?

Indulge in the Waterwheel Café cozy mystery series, where Keya Varma mixes crime with coffee and crêpes. If you crave appetizing characters, a dash of humor, and a dollop of English charm, you’ll devour Victoria Tait’s delicious tale.

Bake your way into intrigue with Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim today!

My review . . . The smashing success of Keya's recently opened Waterwheel Cafe challenges her to find the right balance between the demands of running a busy restaurant and performing her part-time police work. Fortunately, she has a supportive team of family and friends that help her keep the cafe humming along. But her latest police case has Keya stretching herself to the limit. . .

After young Zaad Bartlett disappears from a local playground he was visiting with his nanny, Keya feels a deep personal connection because of her interactions with Zaad and his parents at her cafe in the days before the incident. As part of the team tasked with investigating Zaad's disappearance, Keya must quickly find the missing boy by figuring out exactly what happened and who is responsible. Will she be able to locate the child and reunite him with his distraught parents in a timely manner? Can she identify and prosecute the kidnapper?

Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim takes readers back to the charming Cotswolds region of England, with its picturesque landscape and cozy atmosphere. The plot of the story is solidly constructed with a satisfying number of red herrings and unexpected twists that keep readers guessing whodunit until the book's final chapters. Beyond the mystery, author Victoria Tait has created an inviting setting and cast of characters that readers will enjoy visiting again and again whilst enjoying a variety of teas and other delicacies. Each installment in the series introduces a new tea to savor and crime to solve. I can hardly wait to discover both a new brew and Keya's next case in book four.

About the author . . . Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England. After following her military husband around the world, she drew on her life’s experiences and a love of Agatha Christie, Father Brown, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries.

Her determined female sleuths are joined by colorful and quirky teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and realistic. As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world where you’ll experience surprises, humor and sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings.

Do you like tea, mysteries, and books? Then why not join Victoria’s TeaCozy Club for regular news and updates, and download the free prequel to the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries series as a gift by visiting VictoriaTait.com

Who doesn’t like tea, cake, and a slice of murder?

Giveaway . . . Enter the giveaway contest by clicking here.

Purchase links . . .   Books2Read    Amazon 

Author Links . . .

Website: https://victoriatait.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/victoria-tait

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriataitauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor/_saved/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373879.Victoria_Tait

Tour participants . . .

January 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 8 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 9 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read -REVIEW

January 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 10 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW*

January 13 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – RECIPE POST

January 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 14 – Diane’s Book Journal – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – CelticLady Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.