Category: Cozy Mystery

Book Blitz: Stiff Lizard

4/9/2021

STIFF LIZARD

By LISA HANEBERG

Series: A Spy Shop Mystery
Publisher: Written Pursuits Press
Pages: 364 pages
Pub Date: March 13^th, 2021
Categories: Women Sleuths / Cozy Mystery / Private Investigator / Humor

Rodent Roger, a popular Galveston Island exterminator, goes missing the day after he tells private investigator and spy shop owner Xena Cali about a concerning uptick in green iguana sightings on the island. Theyâ€™re crapping in peopleâ€™s boats and falling from trees. Are the lizards swimming over from Florida to escape the pythons, or is it something more nefarious? Can Xena help untangle the mess before the raucous reptiles take over Galveston?

Ultima Penelope Roger is a best-selling writer of romance novels. The Lizard Liquidators have set up shop on Galveston Island. Herpetologist Quintana Flores, PhD, works on a bizarre cruise ship that sails out of the Port of Galveston. Sasha Barlow is a driven junior reporter whoâ€™ll do anything to get the story. Ned â€œThe Pelican Manâ€ Quinn writes a column about bird necropsies. Captain Ethan Slaughter is the head of the Major Crimes team at the Galveston Police Department. Xena and her team will have to partner with and/or battle this cast of characters and others to solve what becomes a disturbing murder investigation.

Stiff Lizard is the third full-length book in the Spy Shop Mystery series. If you like fast-paced crime novels, clever satire, and gritty beach towns, then youâ€™ll love Lisa Hanebergâ€™s humorous and contemporary cozy caper.

PRAISE FOR STIFF LIZARD:

"Lisa Haneberg has a wicked sense of humor. She can also write a fast-moving, totally original mystery." -- Alan Rinzler

Lisa Haneberg's newest entry in the Spy Shop Mystery Series lives up to its predecessors. A good number of laughs, lots of intrigue, a bit of titillation, lots of interesting information, and lots of mystery make for a good read.â€ â€“ Verified purchaser from Amazon

Purchase Links
Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes and Noble

Lisa Haneberg loves to explore Galveston Islandâ€™s gritty back streets, stellar seafood joints, magnificent natural areas, and all points in between. In addition to the Spy Shop Mysteries, sheâ€™s a blogger and has authored over a dozen nonfiction books. She earned an MFA degree from Goddard College and a BS in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Maryland.

Before writing crime fiction, she was a seasoned human resources professional with a strange attraction to gnarly internal investigations. She lives with her husband and dog in Lexington, Kentucky. Lisa once owned a home on Galveston Island and is a frequent visitor.

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3 Comments

Review: Cinco De Murder

6/29/2018

5 Comments

CINCO DE MURDER

A Taste of Texas Mystery, #3

Rebecca Adler

Genre: Texas Cozy Mystery Date of Publication: April 3, 2018 Publisher: Berkley

Number of Pages: 304 Scroll down for the giveaway!

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 folklÃ³rico dances for Saturday's big parade, while Uncle Eddie is adding his own spicy event to the fiesta menu: Broken Boot's First Annual Charity Chili Cook-off. But Uncle Eddie's hopes of impressing the town council go up in smoke when cantankerous chili cook Lucky Straw is found dead in his tent. And when Josie's beloved uncle is accused of fatal negligence, she, Lenny, and the steadfast Detective Lightfoot must uncover who ended the ambitious chilihead's life--before another cook kicks the bucket.

PRAISE FOR CINCO DE MURDER:

"I enjoyed every minute of this high fa looting Texas escapade. The authentic Texas sayings had me rolling on the floor. I'm a Texan and boy did I relate to the towns and chili cook-off so well."

--Texas Book-aholic

"I enjoy the Texas flair and touch while all the food talk just makes me hungry. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery that features an adorable dog and a culinary touch then this is the book/series for you."~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

CLICK TO PURCHASE: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo

Rebecca Adler grew up on the sugar beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast. Drawn to the Big Apple by the sweet smell of wishful thinking, she studied acting on Broadway until a dark-eyed cowboy flung her over his saddle and hightailed it to the Southwest.

She's currently content to pour her melodramatic tendencies into writing the Taste of Texas culinary mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime: Here Today, Gone Tamale; The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole; and Cinco de Murder. Set in far West Texas, her humorous stories are filled with delicious suspense and scrumptious Tex-Mex recipes. Her alter ego, Gina Lee Nelson, writes contemporary romance with a sweet, Southern-fried flavor.

A former president of North Texas Romance Writers, Rebecca is currently a member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America. When not writing, she spends a great deal of time on her other favorite pastime, directing high school theatre.

Twitter â•‘ Facebook

Website â•‘ Goodreads

â•‘ Amazon Author Page â•‘

-------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize: Signed Copies of the Full Taste of Texas Series + $10 Amazon Gift Card Two Runners-Up: Signed Copies of Cinco de Murder

JUNE 20-29, 2018

(U.S. Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/20/18	Author Interview	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/20/18	Guest Post	Hall Ways Blog
6/21/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
6/22/18	Top 5 List	The Page Unbound
6/23/18	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
6/24/18	Review	Forgotten Winds
6/25/18	Bonus Review	Reading by Moonlight
6/26/18	Character Guest Post	Dressed to Read
6/27/18	Review	The Librarian Talks
6/28/18	Guest Post + Bonus Review	That's What She's Reading
6/29/18	Review	Book Fidelity

blog tour services provided by

I am such a big fan of cozy mysteries - and I quite enjoyed Cinco de Murder so much because it brought the mystery a bit closer to home (i.e. Texas). I am also a completist when it comes to series books, so I made sure to read the first two books in the series, Here Today, Gone Tamale, and The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole.

These books are absolutely great - so entertaining! Our protagonist, Josie Callahan, is such a great character; she's sweet, ballsy, inquisitive, and just plain funny. Her whole family reads just like an "average" (meaning, not so average lol) Texas family would really be. And her dog, Lenny, is so funny in his own right.

In Cinco de Murder, we find Uncle Eddie getting a chili cook-off approved to be hosted in the town. The cook-off attracts contestants from all over, and one in particular, Lucky Straw, appears to be not well-liked by all those around him. Lo and behold, our Josie comes across Straw's body (what luck our Josie has!). Josie, along with Detective Quinton Lightfoot, get pulled along for the mystery of who killed the chili chef.

Along with the mystery, something that I truly enjoy due to my love of romance books, is the developing attraction between Josie and Detective Lightfoot. It's something that started brewing since book one, and it's something that I truly enjoyed seeing grow between them. On the flipside, I also think it's fun to read about how Josie's ex boyfriend, Ryan, doesn't seem to be over Josie - though Jose doesn't seem to see that (I kinda love when the reader knows something the protagonist doesn't!).

Adler's writing flows so smoothly, and it is so entertaining to read. Since book one, I liked Josie instantaneously along with her family trailing right behind her. Adler helps you care about her characters and it reads less like random characters and more like people you know. I am all for it! I recommend this book (and the whole series actually) to all lovers of cozy mysteries, and especially to those who think they can't possibly get into a cozy mystery. These books will convert you for sure!

5 Comments

Review: The Book Club Murders

10/7/2016

0 Comments

The Book Club Murders
The Oakwood Mystery Series
by Leslie Nagel

Synopsis

In a charming cozy mystery series debut, Leslie Nagel’s irrepressible small-town heroine finds that her fellow book club members may be taking their Agatha Christie a bit too literally—and murder a bit too lightly.

Charley Carpenter has poured heart and soul into her clothing store, Old Hat Vintage Fashions. She’ll do anything to make it a success—even join the stuffy Agathas Book Club in order to cultivate customers among the wealthy elite of Oakwood, Ohio.

Although mixing with the most influential women in town has its advantages, Charley finds the endless gossip a high price to pay. But after two women with close ties to the Agathas are brutally murdered, everyone falls under threat—and suspicion. When key evidence indicates that both murders are the work of the same hand, Charley realizes that the killer has arranged each corpse in perfect imitation of crime scenes from the Club’s murder mystery reading list. She uses her membership in the Club to convince Detective Marcus Trenault to use her as an inside informant. Not that he could stop her anyway.

Intelligent, fearless, and every bit as stubborn as Marc is, Charley soon learns the Agathas aren’t the only ones with secrets to protect. Passions explode as she and Marc must race against time to prevent another murder. And if Charley’s not careful, she may find herself becoming the killer’s next plot twist.

Review

I'm still a newbie when it comes to cozy mysteries, but this mystery is in a league of it's own! I'm also very hesitant to call it a cozy (more about that later). Charley is an owner of an vintage clothing store and is a part of the networking Agathas group - a mystery-reading book club. After women associated with the Agathas are being found dead, one by one, Charley starts seeing some connections. On the flip side, Marc is a detective using Charley as an informant - even though they have a rocky history.

As I said before - I hesitate to call this book a cozy mystery even though the cover of it very much screams COZY! What makes this story different is the added layer of romance. Sure, cozies have love stories, but this one has a steamy kind of love story. It was truly welcomed by THIS reader since I am a huge fan of both genres. I was happily surprised to find that both of these styles fit so well together.

Also, Charley has such a fantastic personality in that she is intelligent and clever as well as warm and caring. She makes for such a wonderful protagonist. I will definitely look into more titles from this series!

0 Comments

Review: Killer Librarian

7/18/2016

0 Comments

Killer Librarian
by Mary Lou Kirwin

Synopsis

FILE “M” FOR MURDER. . . .

Champion of the mystery section at a small-town Minnesota library, Karen Nash is about to embark on a dream trip to London—a literary tour inspired by every murderous intrigue, wily suspect, and ingenious crime found in the pages of the British mysteries that she devours. But she’s clueless why the love of her mid-life, Dave, would dump her hours before takeoff—until she spies him at the airport with a young honey on his arm! She decides the best revenge (for now) is to get on that plane anyway . . . and entertain schemes for Dave’s untimely demise while crossing the pond.

After touching ground in the hallowed homeland of Christie, Sayers, and Peters, she checks into a cozy B & B run by charming bibliophile Caldwell Perkins. Soon she’s spilling tears in her pint at the corner pub, sharing her heartbreak saga with a stranger. That night, a B & B guest drops out of circulation—permanently. And when Dave and his cutie turn up in London, Karen realizes they are an assassin’s target. With the meticulous attention to detail that makes her a killer librarian, Karen sleuths her way through her own real-life mystery—in which library science meets the art of murder.

Review

I've become enamored with cozy mysteries. I'm quite specific about them though - they must involve books in some way. Killer Librarian has so far been the best cozy mystery (involving books) that I've read. The book concerns Karen Nash, a librarian readying herself for her first trip to London with her boyfriend Dave...except Dave chooses hours before their departure to break up with her.

Much to my happiness, Karen decides to go to London anyway, and stays at the B&B where she had scheduled their stay. There, she meets a variety of characters including Caldwell, the B&B's charming owner, and his other boarders. While she's there, someone is found dead - and that's only the beginning of Kate's problems while in London.

Oh, I loved this book. I fell for the quirky characters and appreciate the care and detail that went into Kate's character. I think it's wonderful that this story was not just a murder mystery, but was also a tale about betrayal, love, and of course, books. I won't tell you whodunit...but if you enjoy some more character depth to your mysteries - give this one a try.

0 Comments

Review: Death by Diploma

4/7/2016

1 Comment

Death by Diploma
Chalkboard Outlines Book One
by Kelley Kaye

Synopsis

Emma Lovett leaves her philandering husband and crosses the country to begin her teaching career at a high school in Pinewood, Colorado. There, she meets Leslie Parker, a fellow teacher given to quoting Shakespeare to fit all situations, and the two become fast friends.

Arriving at work early one morning, Emma discovers the body of the school custodian, a man who reminds her of her late father. When the police struggle to find the killer, the ladies decide to help solve the murder. Their efforts lead them to a myriad of suspects: the schizophrenic librarian, the crude football coach, the mysterious social studies teacher, and even Emma’s new love interest.
 
As Emma Lovett discovers the perils of teaching high school, she and Leslie learn more than they ever wanted to know about the reasons people kill.

Review

I love cozy mysteries and I found this one to be quite a fantastic read! Emma finds out her husband has been cheating on her and decides to leave him (Go Emma!). She then crosses the country and starts working at Thomas Jefferson High School where she gets mixed in with a bit of trouble. The night janitor, who reminds Emma of her father, is found dead by Emma. Along with a co-worker friend, Emma decides to play detective and find out who the killer is.

The story was filled with kooky characters that certainly made this a fun read. I love getting into these hometown mysteries because they offer some warmth along with their mystery. It's what draws me to their plots, and Death by Diploma is no exception. I recommend this book to all mystery lovers and especially to those who want to be introduced to the genre of the cozy mystery. You're gonna love it!

About the Author

Kelley Kaye taught High School English and Drama for twenty years, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken — whatever the case, the love’s been around for a long time.

Kelley is married to this amazing man who cooks for her, and they have two funny and wonderful sons. She lives in Southern California.

http://www.kelleykaybowles.com/
On Twitter: @kelkay1202
Check out the book trailer for Death by Diploma: https://youtu.be/CAMXkR3kA-8

1 Comment

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Book Blitz: Stiff Lizard

Review: Cinco De Murder

Review: The Book Club Murders

Review: Killer Librarian

Review: Death by Diploma

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