A Sweet Treat for Valentine’s Day—A Cozy Mystery Anthology
By Joanna Campbell Slan
My mama always said,
‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’--Forrest
Gump
Growing up, I spent many happy hours parked on a chair in my
grandmother’s converted sunporch. There I happily explored her bookshelves that
were packed with copies of Reader’s Digest’s Condensed Books. Opening each
hefty copy felt gave me the same excitement as opening a box of chocolates.
Most of the authors were unknown to me. Often the subject matter was over my
head. But always, always I found hours of reading pleasure on those pages.
It’s the same with our new anthology series, Happy Homicides. My friend Linda Gordon Hengerer and I reached out to other
cozy authors with an offer to compile and publish our work. In today’s crowded market,
getting “found” by new readers has become more and more difficult. We figured
that if we could offer a variety of cozy mysteries at a bargain basement price,
all of us authors would benefit.
The concept is working! Our first anthology—Happy Homicides (1): Thirteen Cozy Holiday Mysteries became a bestseller in
several Amazon categories. It also propelled a few of us into Amazon’s Top 100
Mystery Author list.
Now we’re on to Happy Homicides 2: Thirteen CozyMysteries/Crimes of the Heart. (Release date: Feb. 14, 2016) All of our
authors wrote “whodunits” that explore that intersection of love and bad
behavior. At only $2.99, it’s a bargain, thanks to 600-plus pages of reading
material. As is our habit, we’re also including in the book an email address so
readers can send away for a free bonus file of recipes and craft projects. Order your copy today!
And yes, we have more traditional mystery anthologies on the
way.
Here’s our line-up of authors and their stories.
Stupid Cupid: A CaraMia Delgatto Novella by Joanna Campbell Slan—Cara Mia’s search for love
gets her involved in a star-crossed, homicidal romance.
A Heart for Murder by
Teresa Trent—An expensive family
heirloom is stolen from a local jewelry store, and Betsy Livingston Fitzpatrick
would love to figure out who’s responsible.
For the Love of Dog by
Neil Plakcy—A young woman’s death causes a man to consider the many aspects of
love. Is it ever a justification for murder?
Wedding Knife by
Elaine Viets—A groom learns to take
his vow–Till death do we part—very,
very seriously.
Death and a DozenRoses by Annie Adams—Plucky florist Rosie McKay is reunited with an old
love, thanks to complications that happen when she tries to deliver a dozen
roses.
The Sodium Arrow by
Camille Minichino—The love of a student for a favorite teacher drives a
freelance embalmer to seek out justice.
Sweets, Treats, andMurder by Nancy Jill Thames—Jillian Bradley is a widow with no children,
but she still has a keen sense of family. Her love of a good mystery sets her
and her canine companion, Teddy, on a quest for justice.
Dying for Valentine’sTea: A Beach Tea Shop Novella by Linda Gordon Hengerer—The three Powell
sisters want their friend Thelma to find true love, but they’re having trouble
believing her fiancé has her best interests at heart.
The New Normal by
Kathi Daley—Even though her own dreams have been shattered, Ellie Davis finds
it impossible to quit loving an old friend, even after he’s accused of murder.
Bones and Arrows by
Carolyn Haines—Intrepid Sarah Booth Delaney would rather face a gun than a
party on Valentine’s Day. Not surprisingly, she’s decided that Cupid is a big
phony. But is he a jewel thief, too?
Murder at CatmmandoMountain: Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery 1 by Anna Celeste Burke—Georgina Shaw
loves her cat, chocolate, and cooking. When she’s framed for a crime, she’s
forced to reconsider her priorities.
The Missing Jacket by
Randy Rawls—A golfing buddy offers Jonathan Boykin big money to retrieve a
stolen jacket, but Jonathan suspects something else is going on. Jonathan is
smart enough to discern the difference between love and lust. But can he also
figure out the scam?
Really, Truly Dead by
Maggie Toussaint—Lindsey McKay has no desire to return to small town life. But
her love for her father brings her back home when he’s accused of murder.
I’m curious. Do you
like anthologies? Did you ever read the Reader’s Digest Condensed books? How do
you discover new authors?
About the Author
Joanna Campbell Slan
is the national bestselling and award-winning author of thirty books, as well
as being a contributor to many of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. When she
isn’t walking the beach with her Havanese pup, Jax, she’s writing books for one
of her three mysteries series and building dollhouses. Joanna and her husband
David live on Jupiter Island, Florida. http://www.JoannaSlan.com
