Author Bumping - a guest post by Barbara Silkstone

Author Barbara Silkstone joins us today in celebration of the release of the first book in her Florence Nightingale comedy mystery series.  If this adventure is any indication of those we'll find in The Giggling Corpse (and I'm sure it is!), we are in for a fun, rollicking mystery ride!  ~Mrs. MRM

Author Bumping

 By Barbara Silkstone

Like most authors, I am often asked where I get my ideas for stories. I must confess I have led a life that often parallels that of Wile E. Coyote. All I have to do is close my eyes and bingo! I’m in trouble.

Author Bumping has provided me with a good number of funny scenes in my comedy mysteries. Exactly what is AB?

Bumping is a talent I come by naturally. I have literally fallen into a full body bump with some pretty big name writers. These unplanned slams usually occur with hilarious results.

Robert B. Parker was a lovely man. Known as the Dean of American Crime Fiction, he was the creator of the wisecracking, street-smart Boston private eye, Spenser. (Spenser for Hire)

My first meeting with him was not the sophisticated event I would have preferred.  I accidentally slammed into the poor man as if he were home base. All one hundred and twenty-five pounds of me hitting his chubby frame with an “umph!” But let me back up and get a running start into this story.

A number of years ago I attended a writers’ workshop in London. We were a small group of dedicated hopefuls there to learn at the feet of PD James, Stephen King, and Bob Parker.

The workshop took place at the London Polytechnic University campus located on Marylebone Road across from Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and near White Chapel—home of Jack the Ripper. It was summer and the school was all but abandoned. Alighting from a cab, lugging my gear behind me, I gasped at the sight of the red graffiti scrawled over the tall grim buildings. I understand the school has since been renovated but at that time it was pretty eerie.

I took a seat in the old lecture theater, laying my knapsack and duffle bag on the floor. I was pleased I had traveled light and finally got the hang of looking like a mystery writer. I had dropped the pink dresses and kitten heels after my last writers’ conference and now dressed in black slacks, matching top, and ballet flats.

An administrator spoke from the stage telling the small assembly of mostly ladies how to find our room assignments in the dorms. She assured us that someone would be addressing our group shortly. I settled back and admired the carved wood paneling and Phantom of the Opera ambiance.

The lady sitting next to me spoke. “Hi. My name is Shirley. I have really got to find a ladies’ room. Would you mind my bags for me?”

“Sure.” But I needed a loo trip, too. Now was as good a time as any. The lady on Shirley’s far side agreed to stand sentry over our bags. My new friend and I set out in search of a potty.

The halls were silent and resembled a mausoleum. The polished marble floors were slick underfoot and the lighting was dim. There were no attendants and no signs directing us to our much-needed ladies’ loo.

“Maybe they’re on the second floor,” I said optimistically. We walked up a level. Nothing. And the lights grew dimmer. Shirley and I agreed to take this up one more floor. I was mentally kicking myself for not using the loo at the airport as I clung to the railing and hiked up the stairs. With the school unoccupied for the summer, someone had done a rather diligent job of polishing the marble floors. They were as slippery as ice.

No potty. No loo. “One more floor?” I asked. Shirley nodded, her eyes like two giant robin’s eggs behind her thick glasses. It was awfully quiet. We made our way to the fourth floor clinging to the banister to steady ourselves.  A good tinkle was now at the top of my list of most desirable things to do in London.

On the fourth floor, we finally found a ladies loo. The harsh lighting cast the feel of the men’s room scene in The Shining. Jack Nicholson meets the long-dead manager of the Overlook Hotel. Okay… my nerves were a bit prickly.

Shirley grabbed one stall and I hit another. I’d clicked the door shut and was in bladder emptying ecstasy when the cubicle shook. “Open up or I’ll break the door down!” A male voice with a cockney accent growled just outside the door. “I want you. Not the other one!”

Knowing it would do no good to scream, I said… “Absolutely not!”  (I’m notoriously polite.)

“Barbara! What’s going on?” my new friend whimpered.

“We have a problem, Shirley.”

Silence. Not a word. No heavy breathing. Only the sound of Shirley sniveling from her position two stalls down. More silence. He was either waiting outside the door with a Jack the Ripper Knife or he had run away.

I made an executive decision. “Shirley… at the count of three let’s make a run for it. One…”

“Barbara, I can’t run! I can’t get my girdle up. I’m too scared!”

Girdle? Who wears a girdle? I was trapped in a farce with a woman in a girdle, and a guy who wasn’t seeking a pen pal. “Shirley… ditch your girdle. We’re running for it! 2-3!”

We broke out of our stalls like two racehorses out for the Triple Crown. We hit the marble floor with Flintstone feet flying. Funny thing about running on slippery surfaces … you can build up some real speed.

At the second level… Shirley went reeling. “Turn into the skid!” I yelled at her as I grabbed the railing. She squealed and then righted herself.  By the time we hit the ground floor, we must have been going a hundred miles an hour.

A group of people stood at the entrance to the auditorium. Robert B. Parker was among them. I lost control, went into a slide, and bumped hard into his portly belly. Slam!

It wasn’t exactly how I envisioned our first meeting, but I have used versions of the incident in at least two of my stories.

With love & laughter!

Barbara

~*~

Just released! The Giggling Corpse

 A trailblazing figure in nursing, Florence Nightingale faces a series of bizarre mysteries for which she must use her nimble deductive powers while aided by her little pocket owl, Athena, and her sweet but snarky sidekick, Poppy Throckmorten.

In this first book in the series, the ladies journey to Greece on a mission for young Queen Victoria, the successful completion of which will fund the Nightingale School for Lady Nurses—the first of its kind in England.

Armed only with her quick wit and a rock-hard India rubber ball, Poppy is determined to assist Florence in securing the donation promised by a wealthy Greek philanthropist. But before they can return to England, the gift is stolen and one member of their British contingent is dead—was it murder?

Can Florence and Poppy find a possible killer and recover the endowment before they must answer to the Queen? And what’s with the giggling corpse?

Join me as I start my latest series of tongue-in-cheek, fast-paced mysteries that see Poppy Throckmorten chronicle the adventures of the brilliant but eccentric sleuth, Miss Florence Nightingale.

~*~

Connect with Barbara!

• https://www.facebook.com/barbara.silkstone
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Silkstone-Author/156097004489447
• http://secondactcafe.com/barbara-silkstone/
• Barbara Silkstone’s Amazon Author’s page

Coming Soon

The next two books in the Florence Nightingale Comedy Mystery Series:

     

Location is Everything, a guest post by Lauren Carr

Author Lauren Carr, joins us this week with a look at the importance of location in mystery writing.  You can pre-order the first book in her newest series, Ice, which releases on February 26! 

When it Comes to a Series - Location, Location, Location is Everything!

By Lauren Carr

Back when I was nineteen years old, I sat down to write the Great American Tragedy, a 900+ page debut novel.

Setting: Hollywood.

Granted, I had never been west of the Mississippi, but that was where I wanted to be and the book was fiction, so that was where I set it. Today, that manuscript is stuffed in an attic some place where it will never see the light of day.

One of the first things writing instructors teach is to write what you know. I had never been the Hollywood, so all I knew about it was what I saw in the movies. I was from a small town in West Virginia. Who’d want to read a murder mystery set there? I wanted a murder mystery set in Hollywood, baby!

Now that I have grown a bit—I hope—I have learned a few things about settings, particularly when it has to do with settings for mystery novels, especially series.

More goes into a setting than time and place. Setting encompasses the atmosphere, feel, of the location, which can have a direct effect on your characters.

Try to imagine Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn set in New York City during that same time period. Yes, there’s a river to drift down on a raft. Huck would end up being a street urchin living in an alley instead of a shack along a river. The shack along the river is much quainter than an alley in New York City. It would have been a completely different book.

When plotting a murder mystery, I take a number of factors into consideration when deciding on the setting. Is it dirty and smoggy? Or is the sky blue and the air fresh? Are the victim and those connected to him or her caring? Or are they so self-absorbed that they curse the dead body blocking their path to the nearest Starbucks? The answers to these questions contribute to my decision of which setting I select for the mystery.

My Lovers in Crime Mystery series is set in and around Chester, West Virginia—one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone. Most of the population is senior citizens or their grown children who have returned to the nest after having been out there in the real world. It’s home. Folks don’t just know who you are, but they most likely know who your father was and what teacher you had in the fourth grade. People are friendly. Neighbors help their neighbors. The air is fresh. The pace is lazy.

That is a complete contrast to the Thorny Rose detectives. Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are a young married couple who live in northern Virginia just outside Washington, DC. Murphy works at the Pentagon. In the opening scene for my current work in progress, a Thorny Rose Mystery, Murphy is navigating Friday evening rush hour, which launches the fast-paced plot. Chester does not have a rush hour, so such a scene would not work for the Lovers in Crime.

The Joshua Thornton/Lovers in Crime was my first mystery series, created after I had grown up to embrace my small-town roots. After a few installments in the series, I discovered that while the charming characters and feel are striking to readers, the limited setting can stretch a murder mystery reader’s suspension of disbelief to the breaking point.

Example: Every cozy mystery fan loves the television series, It’s Murder, She Wrote. I’ve seen every episode. If you’re a fan, you’ll recall that rather quickly, Jessica Fletcher started encountering mysteries while on book tours or visiting friends in other parts of the world, with only a few episodes happening in Cabot Cove. As a matter of fact, she even moved to New York City. Why? Because the small town of Cabot Cove was becoming the murder capital of the world. Mystery fans started making jokes about never visiting Cabot Cove because you won’t get out alive. So, the writers moved Jessica to New York City where a murder every week was more believable.

Not only does the location and atmosphere contribute to the setting, but so do the people who live there. As I had mentioned, the people who live in and around Chester, West Virginia, have roots in that area. Everyone knows everyone. A murder in Chester is a true whodunit. While there may be strangers or outsiders, they are few.

Set in the upper-class suburbs across the Potomac River from the Nation’s Capital, the Thorny Rose detectives encounter wholly different types of murder victims and suspects. In a town filled with movers and shakers, folks here are ambitious and busy. Neighbors don’t necessarily know each other—and if they do—they most likely don’t care. The Thorny Rose Mysteries offers the perfect setting for sophisticated murders involving glitzy glamourous characters with the dark metropolitan underbelly.

Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a small-town mystery with a big city setting. Enter the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series.

Chris Matheson lives on the family farm along the Shenandoah River in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Don’t let the state name fool you. In the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, Harpers Ferry is considered part of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The passenger trains that leave from several stops throughout the panhandle are filled with commuters going to Union Station in Washington for their jobs in and around the city.

In the twenty-five years that I have lived here in Harpers Ferry, I have seen a tidal wave of professionals in search of a more family friendly atmosphere moving out of the city.

Being a farm girl myself, it’s frustrating to understand those folks who specifically move out of the city because they want to move to the country, and then expect the country folks to adapt to their big city ways, instead of embracing the country way of life. As a rule, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. From what I have seen, for some folks, you can take them out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the folks.  

I’ve also seen families who’ve made West Virginia their home for several generations. I’m still struggling with trying to figure out how to make homemade bread, by hand, without a bread maker. Some town’s people welcome the growth, while others resent the outsiders.

Chris Matheson is a mixture of the two groups—a growing dynamic I have observed. He was born and raised in Harpers Ferry. Then, he took advantage of the opportunities offered to him and went out to see the world. First, he served in the military. Then, he became an investigator with the FBI. Now, retired, he moves his family back home. He has been in both worlds, which gives him an ability to maneuver through them while working a case.

Upon returning to Harpers Ferry to work his family farm, he becomes friends with other law enforcement retirees. That is another population group who have found their way into this setting. The lower taxes in West Virginia have made the area a popular retirement spot for retirees. Their diverse law enforcement experiences make for a vast pool of storylines to choose from. The quaint setting, with a proximity to the bustling Washington DC metropolis, makes my writer’s mind spin with possible plotlines and a vast array of characters to include.

Chris Matheson and his team, the Geezer Squad, tackle their first cold case, a close to the heart missing person’s case, in Ice.

I promise you, this won’t be the last.

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series.  Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night. 

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals,  romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband and three dogs, including the real Sterling, on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

Visit Lauren’s websites and blog at:

• E-Mail: writerlaurencarr@gmail.net
• Website: http://mysterylady.net/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lauren.carr.984991
• Gnarly’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GnarlyofMacFaradayMysteries
• Lovers in Crime Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/LoversInCrimeMysteries?ref=ts&fref=ts
• Acorn Book Services Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AcornBookServices?ref=hl
• Twitter: @TheMysteryLadie

MRM Deals of the Day 6/1/17

We are starting off June with a nice batch of new mystery releases and newly discounted mysteries for Kindle. If you missed our recent summary of over 60 new cozy mysteries released in the past 10 days, you can find that here. As always, be aware that when we include prices, they may not last and are subject to change. Please double-check before you buy.

Today's new mystery releases include:

• Mary Maxwell's The Body in the Bakery, the 15th in her Sky High Pies culinary cozy series
• Dianne Harman's Murder in Whistler, the second in her Northwest Cozy series
• Susan Gillard's Blueberry Spangled Murder, the 48th in her popular Donut Hole Cozy series
• Kathi Daley's The Shadow, the sixth in her Seacliff High YA cozy series
• Nancy McGovern and Cyra Bruce's Banana Whip Safari Trip, the fourth in their Slice of Paradise culinary cozy series
• Molly Milligan's All the Cats Are Grey in the Dark, the third in her Celtic Witch paranormal cozy series
• Emily James' Deadly Arms, the fifth in her highly regarded Maple Syrup cozy series
• Cat Chandler's A Special Blend of Murder, the debut of her Food & Wine Club culinary cozy series
• Linda Kozar's Day of the Dad, a Sweet Petite cozy mystery short
• Adele Abbott's Witch is Why the Music Stopped, the 19th in her popular Witch PI paranormal cozy series
• Bobbi Holmes' The Ghost Who Lied, the 13th in her Haunting Danielle paranormal cozy series
• BR Snow's The Case of the Hurricane Hounds, the eighth in the Thousand Island Doggy Inn cozy series
• Danielle Garrett's novella Along Came a Ghost, the fifth in her Beechwood Harbor paranormal cozy series
• Wren Cavanagh's Of Cats and Sea Monsters, the second in her Cat Daddies cozy series
• Avery Daniels' Iced, the debut of her Resort to Murder cozy series
• Liz Turner's Murder - A Deadly Stew, the debut of her Dr. Hallie Malone historical cozy series
• Linda Kittering's Murder at the Art Gallery, the debut of her Mandy and Roger cozy series
• Sara Hoskinson Frommer's Death Climbs a Tree, the sixth in her Joan Spencer cozy series
• Ruby Loren's The Hayley Argent Mysteries: Books 1 - 4
• The reissue of Herman Landon's traditional Golden Age mystery The Back-Seat Murder

Today's discounted mysteries for Kindle include:

• Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton's Curious Minds, the debut of their popular Knight and Moon humorous mystery series
• Maya Corrigan's Scam Chowder and Final Fondue, the second and third in her popular Five-Ingredient culinary cozy mystery series from Kensington, are on sale for $1.99 each
• Each of the 2 books in Karen MacInerney's Dewberry Farm cozy series are on sale for 99c for Kindle
• Each of the 4 books in Charlotte and Aaron Elkins popular traditional mystery series with art consultant Alix London are on sale for 99c for Kindle
• Each of the 8 books in Barry Eisler's popular mystery/thriller series with John Rain are on sale for 99c for Kindle
• Carolyn Haines' Bones to Pick, the sixth in her Sarah Booth Delaney humorous cozy series
• Carolyn Haines' historical ghost mystery The Book of Beloved, the debut of her Pluto's Snitch series
• Nancy Coco's All You Need is Fudge, the fifth in her Candy Coated cozy series
• Waverly Curtis' The Chihuahua Always Sniffs Twice, the fourth in her Barking Detective humorous cozy series
• GA McKevett's Bitter Sweets, the second in her humorous series with plus-size PI Savannah Reid
• Kaitlyn Dunnett's Bagpipes, Brides and Homicides, the sixth in her Liss MacCrimmon cozy series
• Kathi Daley's Maui Madness and Derby Divas, the seventh and eighth books in her bestselling Zoe Donovan cozy series 
• Isis Crawford's A Catered Fourth of July from her popular Mystery with Recipes culinary cozy series
• Shelley Smith's classic traditional British mystery This Is the House from Endeavour Press
• 3 books in Barbara Ross' Maine Clambake culinary cozy series are on sale for $1.99 each for Kindle
• 3 books in Lea Wait's Mainely Needlepoint cozy series are on sale for $1.99 each for Kindle
• Dorothy Howell's Beach Bags and Burglaries from her popular Haley Randolph series
• Staci McLaughlin's Going Organic Can Kill You, the debut of her Blossom Valley cozy series
• Shannon VanBergen's Up In Smoke, the well reviewed debut of her Glock Grannies cozy senior sleuth series
• Mary Roberts Rinehart's classic traditional mystery The Wall
• Cheryl Crane's The Dead and the Beautiful, the third in her Nikki Harper series
• Carrie Bedford's Kate Benedict Series 1-3 with the first 3 books in her popular and highly praised paranormal mystery series
• Bette Golden Lamb and JJ Lamb's Bone Set, with the first three books in their popular medical mystery/thriller series with RN Gina Mazzio

New Cozy Mystery Releases 5/30/17

Things have been busy in the MRM household over the past couple of weeks and we have spent a lot of time on the road, traveling to concerts, picking up our daughter from college, and taking a family vacation to Jekyll Island. So we have had not had time to summarize all of the latest mystery deals and new releases, and as a result we have a whole lot of catching up to do! Today we are summarizing a big batch of over 60 new cozy mystery releases that have come out over the past ten days. Among the new releases are:

• Stacey Alabaster's Weddings, Receptions, and Murder, the fifth in her Craft Circle series
• Amanda Allen's Bedtimes and Broomsticks, the debut of her Mystic Cove paranormal cozy series 
• Zoe Arden's The Witching Flavor, the second in her Sweetland Witch paranormal cozy series
• Kendra Ashe's Witch Bones, the second in her Wicked Western Witches paranormal cozy series
• Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse, the 22nd in her popular Aunt Dimity series 
• Agatha Baker's Plum Cake Murder, the debut of her Killer Delights series
• Lyra Barnett's Murder with High Steaks, the third in her Vampire Mysteries series
• Kate Bell's Kicked the Bucket in Grady, the second in her Gracie Williams series
• Ruby Blaylock's Pecan Pies and Alibis, the fourth short in her Rosewood Place series
• Rita Mae Brown's A Hiss Before Dying, the 26th in her popular Mrs. Murphy series 
• Kelsey Browning and Nancy Naigle's Gimme Some Sugar, the fifth in their G-Team/Grannis senior sleuth series
• Ellen Carlsen's The Redbud Strangler, the fourth in her highly regarded Dog Lady series
• C Hope Clark's Edisto Stranger, the fourth in her Edisto Island series
• Lyndsey Cole's Caught Dead Handed, the sixth in her Hooked & Cooked series
• Kate Collins' Yews with Caution, the 19th in her popular Flower Shop series from Berkley Prime Crime 
• Kathy Cranston's Weddings are Murder, the seventh in her Bee's Bakehouse series
• Kathi Daley's Murder at Water's Edge, the sixth in her Sand and Sea Hawaiian series
• Stephanie Damore's Kiss and Makeup, the second in her Beauty Secrets series
• Leighann Dobbs and Traci Douglass' Cry Wolf, the fourth in their Silver Hollow paranormal cozy series
• Alex Erickson's Death by Vanilla Latte, the fourth in his Bookstore Cafe series from Kensington
• Vickie Fee's One Fete in the Grave, the third in her Liv and Di in Dixie series 
• April Fernsby's The Leprechaun's Last Trick, a Brimstone Witch paranormal cozy mystery short
• Agatha Frost's Shortbread and Sorrow, the fifth in the Peridale Cafe series
• Patricia Fry's Cattywampus Travels, the 23rd in her Klepto Cat series
• Deborah Garner's A Flair For Drama, the second in her series with senior sleuth Sadie Kramer Flair 
• Susie Gayle's Puzzles, Puggles and Murder, the ninth in her Pet Shop Cozy series from Summer Prescott Books
• Susan Gillard's Mint Creme Murder, the 47th in her popular Donut Hole series
• Luisa Marietta Gold's Led by the Heart at Osprey Cove, the fifth in her Osprey Cove Lodge series
• HY Hanna's Witch Summer Night's Cream, the third in her Bewitched by Chocolate paranormal culinary cozy series
• L Harrington's Battered Berries, the second in the Muffin Oven culinary cozy series
• Kodi Heart's Twists Like a Knife, the second in her Murderous Chapters series
• Carolyn Q Hunter's Sisterly Screams, the debut of her Dead-End Drive-In paranormal cozy series from Summer Prescott Books
• Paty Jager's Fatal Fall, the eighth in her Shandra Higheagle series
• CeeCee James' Deadly Reservation, the second in her Oceanside Hotel series
• Madison Johns' Scandal in Tawas, the 13th in her Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths
• Carol Dean Jones' Left Holding the Bag, the tenth in her Quilting series
• Jessica Lansberry's Case of the Passion Fruit Poisoning, the third in her Cookie Club series
• Nicole Leirnen's Heroes and Hurricanes, a Danger Cove Cocktail mystery, the 13th in the multi-author Danger Cove series from Gemma Halliday Publishing
• Susan Kiernan-Lewis' Crime and Croissants, the second in her Stranded in Provence series
• Janet Lane-Walters' Murder and Herbal Tea, the fifth in her Mrs. Miller series
• Alice Loweecey's The Clock Strikes Nun, the fourth in her Giula Driscoll series from Henery Press
• Patrice Lyle's 3 book collection Health Nut Mysteries Boxed Set, with the first 3 in her series from Gemma Halliday Publishing
• Meg Macy's Bearly Departed, the debut of her Teddy Bear series from Kensington 
• Megan Marple's Murder & Mimosas, the second in the Tell-Tale Tavern series
• Carrie Marsh's The Deadly Jellybean Affair, the debut of her Morhollow Sweet Tooth Murder Mysteries series
• Edith Maxwell's Mulch Ado about Murder, the fifth in her Local Foods culinary cozy series
• Staci McLaughlin's Marriage is Pure Murder, the sixth in her Blossom Valley series from Kensington
• Wendy Meadows' The Snowman Killer, the debut of her Alaska Cozy series
• Charlotte Moore's One Shot at Sunrise, the eighth in her Hunter Jones series
• Julie Mulhern's Watching the Detectives, the fifth in her Country Club Murders series from Henery Press
• Leslie Nagel's The Antique House Murders, the second in her highly regarded Oakwood series from Random House's Alibi imprint
• Carol Novis' Long in the Sleuth, the debut of her Tension on a Pension series 
• KE O'Connor's Ghostly Affairs, the fourth in her Lorna Shadow Ghost Mystery series
• Cecilia Peartree's Unpredictable Events, the 13th in her Pitkirtly Scottish cozy series
• Summer Prescott's Twists and Tears, the fifth in her Hawg Heaven culinary cozy series
• Lauren Quick's All the Pretty Witches, the sixth in her popular Sister Witches paranormal cozy series
• Carolyn J Rose's No Substitute for Misinformation, the seventh in her Subbing Isn't for Sissies series
• Raven Snow's A War Between Witches, the tenth in her Lainswich Witches paranormal cozy series
• Elizabeth Daniels Squire's Forget About Murder, the seventh in her Peaches Dann series
• Diane Vallere's three book set The Kidd Stays in the Picture, with books 4-6 in her humorous Samantha Kidd series
• Anne Warner's The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club - Book Three
• Emma Watts' Murder Most Careless, the 16th in her Witches of Crystal Cove paranormal cozy series
• Peggy Webb's Elvis and the Pink Cadillac Corpse, the latest in the Southern Cousins series
• JA Whiting's Murder and Misfortune, the third in her Claire Rollins series

MRM Deals of the Day 5/2/17

It is the first Tuesday of the month, and as usual that means it is a big day for new cozy mystery releases! We have a nice batch of them to share with you, along with a bunch of newly discounted mysteries for Kindle. If you missed yesterday's deals, you can find them here. As always, be aware that when we include prices, they may not last and are subject to change. Please double check before you buy.

Today's new mystery releases include:

• Julia Buckley's Death in Dark Blue, the second in her Writer's Apprentice mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime
• Ellery Adams' Killer Characters, the eighth in her Books by the Bay cozy series from Berkley
• Carolyn Q Hunter's Scary Sausage Waffle, the 13th in her Diner of the Dead culinary cozy series from Summer Prescott Books
• Bailey Cattrell's (aka Bailey Cates and Cricket McRae)  Nightshade for Warning, the second in the Enchanted Garden cozy series 
• Peg Cochran's Dead and Berried, the third in her Cranberry Cove cozy series
• Emily Brightwell's Victorian historical cozy mystery Mrs. Jeffries Rights a Wrong, the 35th in her popular Mrs. Jeffries series
• Kathleen Bridge's Ghostal Living, the third in her Hamptons Home and Garden cozy series
• Shawn Reilly Simmons' Murder is the Main Course, the fourth in her Red Carpet Catering culinary cozy series from Henery Press
• Ellie Ashe's Miranda Vaughn Mysteries Boxed Set with the first 3 in her popular cozy series
• Carolyn Hart's Walking on My Grave, the latest in her acclaimed Death on Demand traditional/cozy series
• Hannah Dennison's Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall, the fourth in her Honeychurch Hall traditiona/cozy British mystery series 
• Amanda Lee's The Bigfoot Blunder, the debut of the Charlie Rhodes cozy series from the author of the bestselling Wicked Witches of the Midwest series
• Sharon Pape's Magick & Mayhem, the debut of her Abracadabra paranormal cozy series from Penguin/Random House's Lyrical Underground imprint
• Peggy O'Neal Peden's Malice Domestic Award winning debut mystery Your Killin' Heart, the debut of her Nashville series
• Elizabeth Duncan's Murder is for Keeps, the eighth in her Penny Brannigan cozy series
• Susan C Shea's international cozy mystery series debut Love and Death in Burgundy with Katherine Goff, an American expat living in a small French village
• Samantha Silver's Murder on the Oregon Express, the second in her Magical Bookshop paranormal cozy series
• Barbara Jean Appleby's Fox and the Shadow Chasers, the debut of her Annie Fox/Kentucky cozy series
• CC Dragon's Spells To Die For, the second in her Witch's Brew paranormal cozy series
• Lily Harper Hart's Ghostly Wrecks, the sixth in her Harper Harlow paranormal cozy series
• KM Carroll's Fire and Ice Cream, the debut of the Draconic Mysteries cozy series

Today's discounted mysteries for Kindle include:

• Carlene O'Connor's cozy/traditional mystery Murder in an Irish Village, the well reviewed debut of her Irish Village series
• Christy Evans' Sink Trap, the debut of her cozy series with software engineer turned plumber's apprentice Georgianna Neverall. From Berkley Prime Crime.
• Ella Barrick's Quickstep to Murder, the debut of her Ballroom Dance cozy series from Berkley
• Cindy Sample's Laurel McKay Mysteries Boxed Set, with the first 3 books in her popular humorous cozy series
• Each of the first 2 books in Karen MacInerney's humorous cozy series with Margie Peterson are on sale for 99c for Kindle
• Carol Perry's Caught Dead Handed, the debut of her Witch City paranormal cozy series from Kensington
• Jennifer Fischetto's Lipstick, Lies and Dead Guys, the debut of her Gianna Mancini cozy series from Gemma Halliday Publishing
• 3 of Catherine McKenzie's popular and highly praised psychological suspense novels are on sale for $1.50 each for Kindle: Fractured, Smoke, and Hidden. You can also get an extra 25% off if you buy all 3 with one click.
• Each of the 3 books in Tara Sivec's popular Fool Me Once humorous/romantic mystery series are on sale for 99c for Kindle, and you can get an extra 10% off if you buy all 3 with one click
• John Grisham's Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, the debut of his popular YA mystery series
• Rachel Abbott's popular traditional British village mystery The Back Road
• Janel Gradowski's Pies & Peril, the debut of her popular Culinary Competition cozy mystery series from Gemma Halliday Publishing

MRM Deals of the Day 5/1/17

Today we start off May with a nice big edition of our Daily Deals post. There a bunch of newly discounted mystery titles for Kindle and some interesting new releases. As always, be aware that when we include prices, they may not last and are subject to change. Please double-check before you buy.

Today's new mystery releases include:

• Kathi Daley's First Case, the debut of her Writer's Retreat Southern Seashore mystery series
• Maggie Toussaint's novella Turtle Tribbles, the second in her Lindsey and Ike romantic mystery series
• Adele Abbott's Whoops! All the Money Went Missing, the second in her Susan Hall paranormal cozy series
• Amy Myers' Dancing with Death, the debut of her 1920s historical country house mystery series with chef-sleuth Nell Drury
• Annie Appleton's Don't Feed the Rat, the debut of her Jacob Hicks cozy mystery series
• Aysia Amery's Hangin with the Heliconia, the fifth in her Maui Mayhem cozy series
• Karny McFlynn's Telling Thyme, the debut of the Thyme Witch paranormal cozy series
• Ed Lynskey's Heirloom, the eighth in his Isabel and Alma Trumbo cozy series
• Cassie Page's 5 book Darling Valley Cozy Mystery Box Set
• RM Cartmels' The Richebourg Affair, the debut of the series with Inspector Truchaud of the French Police
• Karen Robl's humorous cozy mystery Hell Bent Catering, the second in her Kat-Can't-Cook series
• Agatha Frost's Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery Box Set 1, with the first 3 books in the popular and highly praised series

Today's discounted mysteries for Kindle include:

• Agatha Christie's classic traditional mystery Ordeal by Innocence
• Alan Bradley's traditional historical British village mystery The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, the sixth in his acclaimed Flavia de Luce series
• Charlaine Harris' All the Little Liars, the ninth in her Aurora Teagarden cozy series
• Tony Hillerman's Dance Hall of the Dead, the second in his acclaimed Leaphorn & Chee/Navajo traditional mystery series
• 18 of the books in Laurien Berenson's Dog Lover's cozy mystery series with Melanie Travis are on sale from $1.99 to $3.99 for Kindle
• Annie Knox's Paws for Murder, the debut of her Pet Boutique cozy series from Berkley Prime Crime
• JA Jance's Desert Heat, the debut of her bestselling Joana Brady series
• Nevada Barr's Track of the Cat, the first book in her award winning Anna Pigeon series
• Paige Shelton's If Fried Chicken Could Fly, the debut of her Country Cooking School culinary cozy series
• Erin Huss' humorous cozy mystery For Rent, the well reviewed debut of her Apartment Manager series
• Heather Gudenkauf's bestselling psychological thriller Missing Pieces
• Sara Blaedel's international bestselling thriller The Forgotten Girls
• Chris Cavender's (aka Tim Myers, Jessica Beck etc) cozy mystery Rest in Pizza, the fourth in the Pizza Lover's series
• Cindy Bell's A Treacherous Tasty Trail, the fourth in her Chocolate Centered Cozy series
• Traci Tyne Hilton's Killer Honeymoon, the sixth in her Plain Jane cozy series
• Aubrey Harper's A Book and Candle Mystery Box Set, with the first 3 in her popular paranormal cozy series

MRM Deals of the Day 4/25/17

It is Tuesday, and as usual that means we have a strong day for new mystery releases. There is a nice batch of newly discounted Kindle mysteries as well. If you missed yesterday's deals, you can find them here. As always, be aware that when we include prices, they may not last and are subject to change. Please double-check before you buy.

Today's new mystery releases include:

• Sherry Harris' A Good Day To Buy, the fourth in her Sarah Winston Garage Sale cozy series 
• Mollie Cox Bryan's No Charm Intended, the second in her Cora Crafts series from Kensington
• Catherine Bruns' Frosted with Revenge, the fourth in her Cookies & Chance culinary cozy series from Gemma Halliday Publishing
• Barbara Allan's Antiques Frame, the latest in the popular Trash n Treasures humorous cozy series
• Caroline Fardig's Brew or Die, the fourth in her highly regarded Java Jive cozy series
• Carolyn Q Hunter's Benedict Waffle, the 12th in her Diner of the Dead culinary cozy mystery series from Summer Prescott Books
• Vanetta Chapman's What the Bishop Saw, the debut of her Amish Bishop series
• Rose Pressey's The Haunted Tour Guide Box Set, with the first 3 books in her popular paranormal cozy series
• Cynthia Riggs' Trumpet of Death, the latest in her highly regarded Martha's Vineyard cozy series
• The reissue of Elise Hyatt's (aka Sarah Hoyt) A Fatal Stain, the third in her Daring Finds cozy series with Dyce Dare
• KJ Emrick's Death Takes a Letter, the 21st in her popular Darcy Sweet cozy series
• GA McKevett's Every Body on Deck, a humorous cozy with plus-sized PI Savannah Reid
• Liz Tuner's Murder - The Final Dare, the fifth in her Cozy Mystery in the Mountains series
• Abby Matthews' Wake Up To Murder, the second in her cozy series with romance writer Ricki Rydell
• Janet Lane Walters' Murder and Mint Tea, the debut of her Mrs. Miller cozy series

Today's discounted mysteries for Kindle include:

• Aaron Elkin's Edgar Award winning traditional mystery Old Bones, the fourth in his popular series with forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver
• Alison Gaylin's highly praised mystery/thriller What Remains of Me
• Cynthia Baxter's Dead Canaries Don't Lie, the debut of her Reigning Cats and Dogs cozy series with veterinarian Jessie Popper
• Anisa Claire West's culinary cozy mystery novella Cupcake Shop Clues
• Jennie Marts' well reviewed Just Another Maniac Monday, the third in her Page Turners humorous female sleuth mystery series
• Marilyn Levinson's A Murderer Among Us, the debut of her Twin Lakes Retirement Community cozy series