Interview with Miriam Auerback Author of Boca Undercover

Today we have the pleasure of having Miriam Auerbach sit down with Paula and answer so interview question.  She has a new book out Boca undercover!  Thank you for visiting Community Bookstop!

BOCA UNDERCOVER will be on sale on Kindle for $2.99, and two previous books in the series will be on sale for $1.99, May 18-31

What genre do you write?

I write humorous mysteries featuring a Harley-riding, butt-kicking, wise-cracking female private eye, set in Boca Raton, Florida, a beautiful town with a seamy underbelly.

Can you tell us what brought you to writing mystery?

Like most writers, I started as a fan.  A love of detective fiction goes back in my family at least three generations.  My mother introduced me to classics like Agatha Christie and Rex Stout.  Later, as a young adult, I discovered the work of Sue Grafton.  The first book of hers I read, somewhere in the middle of her “alphabet” series, was about a fraudulent chiropractor.  At that time, my first husband was studying to be a chiropractor, and I felt offended on his behalf, so I hated the book. A couple years later I divorced that husband, and suddenly that book became a lot more appealing.  Over the years I read all of Ms. Grafton’s books and discovered similar authors.  I’d always had some writing talent, so one day I decided to give murder a shot (pun intended!)

Who influences your writing?

In addition to the aforementioned Sue Grafton, I’m flattered to say that my style has often been compared to that of Janet Evanovich.

What type of books do you like to read?

The same kind I write – mysteries featuring strong, funny women!

What do you do when you’re not writing?

My pastimes are just a tad different from those of my protagonist.  She rides a motorcycle; I ride a bicycle – the kind with fat tires and one speed.  She practices martial arts; I practice ballet barre.  She has a pet alligator; I have two fluffy pooches who’ll lick you to death rather than bite your head off.  

If you were stranded on an island and could bring three things what would you bring?

Desalination tablets, a flare gun, and a fishing pole. (My fiction is over-the-top, but my life is down-to-earth!)

Thank you to Miram for stopping by and sharing herself with our viewers!

Read More

Review: The Tell-Tail Heart by: Monica Shaughnessy

Title: The Tell-Tail Heart
Author: Monica Shaughnessy
Publisher: Jumping Jackolope Press
Series: Cattarina Mysteries #1
Pages: 178
Format: e-book
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours

Description:

The untold story behind Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." 

Philadelphia, 1842: Poe's cat, Cattarina, becomes embroiled in a killer's affairs when she finds a clue to the crime - a glass eye. But it's only when her beloved "Eddy" takes an interest that she decides to hunt down the madman. Her dangerous expedition takes her from creepy Eastern State Penitentiary to Rittenhouse Square where she runs into a gang of feral cats intent on stopping her. 

As the mystery pulls Cattarina deeper into trouble, even Eddy becomes the target of suspicion. Yet she cannot give up the chase. Both her reputation as a huntress and her friend's happiness are at stake. For if she succeeds in catching the Glass Eye Killer, the missing pieces of Eddy's unfinished story will fall into place, and the Poe household will once again experience peace. 

Full of Victorian witticisms and rich detail, this cozy mystery is a fictional account of Edgar Allan Poe's real-life animal companion. Fans of historical and animal mysteries are sure to like this series.

My Thoughts:

I received this book as part of a book tour it takes place in 1842 and is told from Cattarina's point of view.  Someone is out on a killing spree and Cattarina finds a clue to the crime.  When Eddy becomes interested in these crimes, Cattarina takes an interest in solving the murder.  This book was full of action and really makes one appreciate what Eddie and his beloved cat Cattarina.

I could tell reading this book that the author put a lot of work into researching Mr. Poe.  Big fans of his will love this story and reading more in the series.  I also think those who like period pieces will also enjoy this book.

Read More

Review: The Body in The Birches by: Katherine Hall Page

Title: The Body in The Birches
Author: Katherine Hall Page
Publisher: William Morrow
Series: Faith Fairchild Mystery #22
Pages: 240
Format: e-book ARC
Source: Great Escapes Book Tour & NetGalley

Description:

At home on Sanpere Island, Maine, caterer and amateur sleuth Faith Fairchild discovers that real estate can be murder, especially when it's all in the family, in this twenty-third book in the popular mystery series.

The Fourth of July is one of the hottest on record and even the breeze off Penobscot Bay can't seem to cool things down for Faith Fairchild and the rest of the folks on Sanpere Island. But the fireworks are just beginning. After the celebrations are over, Faith discovers a body in the woods near The Birches, an early twentieth-century "cottage."

The body is identified as The Birches' housekeeper, who seems to have succumbed to a heart attack. The death is only one of the dramatic events upending the historic house. A family gathering has been called to decide who will inherit the much loved, and very valuable, estate that has been in the Proctor family for generations. With this much money involved, it's just a matter of time before trouble arises.

Faith is juggling her own family problems. Her teenage son, Ben, has started a new job as a dishwasher at The Laughing Gull Lodge--learning things that could land him in very hot water. And her daughter Amy is worried about her new friend, Daisy Proctor. Daisy is terrified--convinced that someone is trying to eliminate her mother from getting a share of The Birches. To protect her children, Faith has to find a possible murderer--before he strikes too close to her own home.

My Thoughts:

In this ook we are following Sophie who is sent up to the birches a property owned by her aunt who has passed away and Sophie's mother's wants Sophie there to protect her interest in the property at the birches there are no shortage of interesting characters who all seem to have something to gain with the property.

Faith Fairchild is in Maine for the summer and staying near the Birches she has her own things to deal with her mother in law is in the hospital her son Ben has gotten a new job.

Not long the housekeeper at the Birches winds up dead Faith has to figure out who the murderer is before it's too late.  This book was great full of small town characters and adventure when looking into a murder.

I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read some of her other books to see what they are like.  I think any cozy mystery buff will love this story as I did!!

Read More

Review: A Far Gone Night by: John Carenen

Title: A Far Gone Night
Author: John Carenen
Publisher: Neverland Publishing
Series: Thomas O'Shea Mystery #2
Pages: 299
Format: e-book
Source: Great Escapes Book Tour

Description:

Suffering from insomnia, wise-cracking tough guy Thomas O'Shea goes for a late-night stroll through the peaceful streets of Rockbluff, Iowa, and finds himself pausing downtown on the bridge that spans the Whitetail River. When he glances downstream, something catches his eye…something that looks like a body. He scrambles down to the riverbank, pulling the body of a young girl from the water. The girl is naked, with two bullet holes in the back of her head. Ever suspicious of law enforcement, O’Shea chooses not to mention the bullet holes when Deputy Stephen Doltch, on routine patrol, discovers him at the river's edge.

When the coroner's report lists the cause of death as "drowning," Thomas confronts the coroner, but his questions are met with hostility. Then the coroner and his wife disappear, along with the body of the dead girl.

Teaming up with his friend Lunatic Mooning and Clancy Dominguez, an old buddy from his Navy SEAL days, Thomas and the other two men join together to bring justice to the dead girl, a quest that takes them to the Chalaka Reservation in Minnesota, seedy businesses adjacent to the Chalaka Casino, and straight into the world of organized crime.

A fast-paced story, laugh-out-loud moments and familiar, quirky characters from Carenen's debut novel, Signs of Struggle, continue to enliven the complex world of Thomas O'Shea. Once again, Thomas gears up to find answers that will reveal who put the bullets in the girl's head, why she was killed, and her identity, which may hit a little too close to home.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Thomas O'Shea as he stumbles across a naked body in the river after dragging her to safety he waits for the police to arrive and notices somethings about the dead girl, she has bullet holes in her head, and no one seems to know who she is?  Who is the dead girl and why was she killed and dumped in a river?

Then there is the reporter/writer who is sniffing around this murder and trying to get Tom to work with her.  Tom wants nothing more than to tell this girl to take a hike,  after his attention in a previous homicide.  Will this reporter Suzanne Highsmith ever leave him alone?

This was a great cozy that takes you into Indian reservations and casinos and a whole slew of areas and had you wondering who killed the girl and what happened to the corner and his wife?

Read More

Title: Coffee is Murder by: Carolyn Arnold

Title: Coffee is Murder
Author; Carolyn Arnold
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Series: McKinley Mysteries Book 9
Pages: 155
Format: e-book
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours

Description:

You might want to rethink your morning routine.

A cup a day won’t kill you, but a few might.

Their first case as private investigators have Sean, Sara, and Jimmy neck-deep in coffee beans trying to find a killer. With their client certain that her mother was poisoned through her coffee of the month club, it has them setting out to Williamsburg, Virginia. But instead of approaching matters from the traditional standpoint, Sean and Sara brew a robust plot and stir Jimmy into the blend, all to get close to their top suspect and grind out the truth.

Going undercover at Tasty Beans, the coffee company, the three of them work to expose the culprit before anyone else dies.

My Thoughts:

In this book Sara, Sean and Jimmy are working on a case of a woman whose mother has recently died and she has trouble believing anything other than murder caused it.  She hires the McKinley's to look into what happened to her mother and who would want to kill her?

This book brought back the couple team of Sean and Sara and their team of private investigators to find out who poisoned the coffee of their client's mother.  Which brings them to Virginia in search of a explanation to the recent death, what they find is more than they bargained for.  This book was full of adventure and mystery that readers have come to find with this series!  Can't wait to see what is next for the McKinley's.

Read More

Review: Dying To Know by: TJ O'Connor

Title: Dying to Know
Author: TJ O'Connor
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Series: Gumshoe Ghost mystery #1
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback ARC
Source: Request

Description:

Dying is overrated. Murder is not.

Detective Oliver Tucker prefers to be the guy investigating shootings, not the guy getting shot. So when he returns as a ghost after being murdered in his home, it's only natural for Tuck to investigate the most important case of his life--his own. Detective, solve thyself!

Piecing together cold cases, foggy memories, and eerie premonitions, Tuck fears that if he doesn't figure out who pulled the trigger, his wife may be the next victim. Surprised to discover many earth-bound spirits chasing the same killer, Tuck's unique perspective from the other side leads him to a chilling conclusion--it's the living, not the dead, who are most terrifying.

My Thoughts: 

This book is part of a series and I will be doing a book tour on the second book in this series.  In this book Oliver Tucker finds himself dead pretty quickly and finds out what happens when you die which is being stuck on earth.  He is determined to find out who killed him.  He reaches out to his wife Angela or as he calls her Angel.  Angel thinks she is hearing things but then realizes her husband is still with her.  She also knows Tuck is determined to find out who killed him.  She helps investigate the murder.

What an incredible story that Mr. O'Connor takes you on with his great cast of characters who each deal with Tuck's death in their own way and Tuck learns somethings about the dead along that way as well.  He learns who to trust and not trust and who really has his back even if he is a ghost.  I loved the writing style and the way the story flowed together gripped me and kept me going on this fabulous journey can't wait to see what is next in this series!

Next in this series is:

Read More

BOTM May: Bite The Biscuit by: Linda O. Johnston

For the Month of May I am showcasing Bite The Biscuit by: Linda O. Johnston I read this book and loved it hopefully others will love it as well!

Title: Bite The Biscuit

Author: Linda O. Johnston

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Series: Barkery & Biscuits Mystery #1

Pages: 312

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Description:

Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder. 

Read More

BOTM May Guest Post: Bite The Biscuit by: Linda O. Johnston

Why Dogs Have Taken Over My Mysteries

by Linda O. Johnston

I'm delighted to be here--and particularly delighted that Bite the Biscuit has been chosen as book of the month by Community Bookstop!

I was asked to tell you how I came to write books containing both animals and mysteries.

Well, it'll come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I love both.

I must have been born an animal lover--especially dogs.  I became the proud owner of a Boston terrier named Frisky when I was eight years old.  For years, I was sure I wanted to be a veterinarian, until I took an advanced biology course in high school where we were supposed to cut open a female frog to remove her eggs.  Cut open an animal?  I couldn't do it--and realized that I wouldn't be able to do it even to help heal an animal, so there went my goal of becoming a vet.  I most certainly hope those kinds of classes are handled differently now.

I was an avid reader back then, too, as I am today.  Some of my favorite books were Nancy Drew mysteries.  And despite being unhappy in my biology class, I loved English and writing.  Things eventually came together, and now I've found a way to combine those interests: writing cozy mysteries featuring animals, especially dogs.

My first two mystery series were the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries and its spinoff, the Pet Rescue Mysteries.  The Pet Rescue Mysteries primarily featured dogs and cats saved and adopted from a special no-kill shelter.  The Kendra books featured dogs, too, but also other kinds of animals.  Some of the titles included Nothing to Fear but Ferrets, Fine-Feathered Death, The Fright of the Iguana and Never Say Sty.  You can guess some of the other animals they featured! By the way, Kendra's a lawyer, and I used to be, too.  But currently I'm a full-time writer.

Right now, I'm writing two cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink where dogs are key.  My newest, the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries, is about Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician and dog lover who also realizes her dream of becoming an entrepreneur.  A friend who has to move because her mother is ill sells her bakery Icing on the Cake to Carrie.  Carrie converts half of it into Barkery and Biscuits, a store selling handmade dog treats made from healthy recipes Carrie developed for patients as a vet tech.  The first book in that series is Bite the Biscuit.

Then there are my Superstition Mysteries, in which Rory Chasen winds up managing a pet boutique in Destiny, California, which is all about superstitions, after her lucky black and white dog Pluckie helps to save the life of the boutique's owner.  Do you think there are black cats in these stories?  Yes!  The first, Lost Under a Ladder, was published last October and the second, Knock on Wood, will come out next October.

By the way, I also write romances for two Harlequin series.  One is Harlequin Romantic Suspense, and no dogs have appeared in my stories there... yet.  The other is the paranormal romance series Harlequin Nocturne, and my own mini-series there is about Alpha Force, a covert military unit of shapeshifters, largely werewolves who happen to have cover dogs!

Are you wondering if there are dogs currently in my life?  Of course!  I am currently owned by two adorable Cavaliers King Charles Spaniels, Lexie--whose counterpart was featured in the Kendra mysteries--and Mystie.

I've got more mysteries to come, and they, too, will feature animals, mostly dogs.  What a surprise.

Read More

Review: Bite The Biscuit by: Linda O. Johnston

Title: Bite The Biscuit
Author: Linda O. Johnston
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Series: Barkery & Biscuits Mystery #1
Pages: 312
Format: e-book ARC
Source: Great Escapes Book Tour & NetGalley

Description:

Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder. 

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in the Barkery and Biscuits series and it follows Carrie Kennersly a vet tech, who has opened to stores one that specializes in adult bakery items and one that specializes in doggie treats.  Carrie makes these homemade treats on the premise.  At the grand opening of both stores she seems to be doing well until Myra Ethman and her  husband Harris come in and instigate fighting verbally with Carrie.

The next day Carrie awakes to find that Myra has been killed and is shocked to learn that the police seem to be narrowing in on her.  Carrie has to find out who really did it so the police will bark up the right tree and not Carrie's tree.

I loved this adventure and mystery.  I have loved every book written by Ms. Johnston she is really a great writer with her writing about pet owners, and the care they take with their animals and also adds the element of mystery that the main character has to muddle through to find out the bad guy.  Can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Definitely a barking great adventure!

Read More

Review: Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger: 25 Tips for Surviving Parenthood by: Julie K. Nelson

Title: Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger
Author: Julie K. Nelson
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Pages: 176
Format: e-book ARC
Source: Cedar Fort Book Tours

Description:

As a popular blogger, a college professor, and a frequent parenting guest expert on TV, you might suspect Julie K. Nelson is immune to the realities of actual parenting. But in fact, she’s been there—through all the late nights, huge messes, and tough moments. 

Now she combines her expertise with her experience as a mom of five in this entertaining and pragmatic book. Learn how to overcome your natural manipulative, authoritarian tendencies and foster your child’s self-discipline, respect, and emotional maturity. 

Humorous, insightful, and authentic, this book will get you through the sticky stuff with grace so you can enjoy those parenting moments that make it all worth it.

My Thoughts: 

I was offered this book from Cedar Fort and Julie K. Nelson for a honest and fair review.  This book gives tips and suggestions on how to assist with the job of parenting the hardest job many of us have to go through the one that is the most rewarding and heart wrenching.

I enjoyed reading this book and the journey this author takes you on with idea and tips of how to do a better job at parenting with ideas of the way in which we go about raising the kids to go into the world.  To mold them into adults that can raise their own kids.  It was a great story and I think many will benefit from it.

Read More