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A DEADLY BREW is the latest Tourist Trap Mystery novella by Lynn Cahoon and is already a USA Today Best Seller! This fun, quick read definitely got me in the mood for Halloween with a ghost story as the central theme. I enjoyed how it started with the author’s dedication to her mother and their shared love of Dark Shadows. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would sneak over to my best friend’s house to watch that scary fun program! It wasn’t allowed in my home but I was intrigued by the peek into the supernatural and looked forward to the program each week.

Protagonist Jill Gardner, along with her boyfriend (the handsome detective Greg King) and 3 other couples are participating in a haunted house lock-in. The owner of the house disappeared fifteen years previously and had never been found. One of the friends participating is Esmerelda, who purportedly has psychic abilities and hopes to contact the owner from the “other side” to find out what happened. Most of the group is skeptical but when Jill starts experiencing strange things in the house, she finds her beliefs are challenged. Ms. Cahoon weaves in a tight tale of the cold case concerning the missing woman who was a supposed witch, a ghost searching for a lost child, and things that go bump in the night! Even though it is a short novella, I felt the story contained all the necessary elements to make it a delightful read: good characters, a mystery or two to be solved, clues sprinkled around, and an exciting conclusion. You’ll definitely want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows and a plate of Sadie’s Cheesecake Brownies while reading this “spirited” book!  

While A DEADLY BREW does not contain recipes, Sadie’s Cheesecake Brownies are served during the lock-in and Ms. Cahoon was kind enough to develop a recipe for me to share. The base is rich, moist chocolately brownies that mix up quickly. Tangy cream cheese, egg, and sugar mixes together to top the brownie base and is then swirled a bit to marble. The resulting dessert is devilishly yummy and sure to please all your ghouls and goblins!

Amazon Synopsis

As Halloween approaches South Cove, California, four couples get into the spirit of the holiday by conjuring up spirits. . .
 
The house has sat empty for fifteen years, taking up prime real estate along the picturesque coastline. Built by one of the founders of South Cove, its last known owner, Maryanne Demerit, vanished without a trace. Now her home will be demolished for a condo development, but until then, it’s the perfect spot for a Halloween haunted house.
 
Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, her boyfriend, and three other couples are spending the weekend in the Demerit home. But what begins as an all-in-good-fun fright fest turns into a mystery begging to be solved as Jill is contacted by the ghost of Maryanne . . .

A special thanks to Lynn Cahoon for providing a winner with an e-book copy of A DEADLY BREW. Contest ends Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Sadie's Cheesecake Brownies

Author's Note: You can use a box for the brownie section if you're short on time, but I love making brownies from scratch. This is a recipe I developed in high school and it has never failed me...

Ingredients

Brownies:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Cheesecake Topping:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions

Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Cream the sugar into the butter then add the vanilla and eggs.

3. Once combined, stir the dry ingredients into the mix. Spread batter into a greased 9- x 9-inch pan and make your topping.

Cheesecake Topping:

1. Mix all the topping ingredients together until creamy.

Putting it together:

1. Spread over the top of the brownie batter. You can also marble this by running a knife through the top, mixing the brownie and cheesecake mixture together. Do not overmix.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes to see if brownies are done by putting a toothpick in the middle to see if brownies have set.

3. Allow brownies to completely cool before cutting into squares and serving.

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IN COLD CHOCOLATE, is the third installment in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series by Dorothy St. James. This newest release is a delightful story centered on protagonist, Charity Penn, who goes by the name of Penn. I love how the author has developed Penn’s character from the very first book and continues her progression through this third book. While this can be read as a stand-alone I personally think it is better to start at the beginning. The metamorphosis the protagonist experiences after inheriting her grandmother’s chocolate shop (whom she never even knew existed while growing up) can be better appreciated by reading the first two books. There is a subplot thread through each book with Penn trying to find out who her mother is and trying to connect with family she never knew existed. Ms. St. James throws in several curves that had me thinking about the story long after I read the last page. After all, life is truly about family and friends and the author has centered the books on this important theme.

When I started the book, I didn’t have much time before I had to leave for an appointment. I thought I would sit down, read a few pages to get a sense of the story and then be on my way. But instead, the first chapter started off quickly with conflict and pulled me so deeply into the story that I didn’t want to put it down at all. (I may have been a tad late for that appointment.) Ms. St. James creates memorable characters and scenes. I especially loved her portrayal of the sea turtles nesting and the hatchlings. She brings their risk of survival to light and what rescue groups are doing to help the sea turtles. The author effortlessly weaves these themes into a tightly knit plot with plenty of clues and suspects to keep the reader guessing while providing a cohesive and exciting conclusion.

Not only was this a page-turner of a story, but also a sweet read that had me craving chocolate and the desire to visit Penn’s chocolate shop! Ms. St. James includes a few recipes at the back of the book and has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Penn’s Moon Benne Wafer Cookies. These crispy sesame seed-based cookies are simple to make but are taken to the next level of yumminess by dipping one side in white chocolate and the opposite side in dark chocolate. The result is a stunning presentation and a burst of scrumptiousness in your mouth with the creamy, rich chocolate coating the crispy wafer-thin cookie!

Amazon Synopsis

In Dorothy St. James’s third delectable Southern Chocolate Shop mystery, a new batch of chocolate and troubles of the heart cause a string of disasters for the Chocolate Box’s new owner, Charity Penn.

The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world’s richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box’s owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island’s moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean.

Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton—the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box—holding the gun. It’s an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody’s young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can’t say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it’s too late for Penn and for those she loves in Dorothy St. James’s third rich installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop mysteries, In Cold Chocolate.

A special thanks to Dorothy St. James for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of IN COLD CHOCOLATE. Contest ends Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)  

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Penn's Moon Benne Wafer Cookies

The recipe makes a crispy thin wafer with a powerful sesame flavor that is sandwiched between white chocolate on the top and dark chocolate on the bottom. Is it a candy or a cookie? Perhaps it's both!

This recipe for these simple black and white chocolates is perfect for cookie swaps or a way to add a touch of elegance to your parties. your friends will be begging you for your recipe while asking for more!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (important for the wafer's distinctive taste)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free flours also work with this recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 bag white chocolate chips
• 1 bag fair trade dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the oven rack is in the center position for even cooking.

2. Toast the sesame seeds by heating them in a dry pan over medium-low heat. You want the seeds to turn a light golden color, so they'll release their flavors. Keep a close eye on them, you don't want them to burn.

3. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix at a lower speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix at the lower speed until the batter is smooth. Add the toasted sesame seeds and fold in with a spoon.

5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking liner. Using a teaspoon, drop the dough onto the baking sheet. You can use the back of the spoon to help form a round shape in order to make sure your cookies come out moon shaped. Leave about 2 inches between the dough. The cookies will spread. Yes, you want them to spread!

6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn a dark brown. (This is important, otherwise your wafers won't have that delightful snap.) Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Melt the white chocolate chips using either a double boiler or following the microwave directions on the bag. Using a tablespoon, coat the top of the cookies with the melted white chocolate. Place cookies in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to cool.

8. Melt the dark chocolate chips using either a double boiler or following the microwave directions on the bag. Using a tablespoon, coat the bottom of the cookies with the melted dark chocolate. Place cookies in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to cool.

9. Store in the refrigerator. 

Notes

Makes approximately 2 dozen. 

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I’m excited to be participating in the Great Escapes Blog Tour showcasing STABBED IN THE BAKLAVA by Tina Kashian! This second book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series finds protagonist Lucy Berberian trying to expand her family’s restaurant business by taking on a huge catering job for a celebrity wedding. Helping her is Kebab Kitchen’s chef and her ex-boyfriend, Azad. Ms. Kashian has developed intriguing characters and situations for those characters to interact, grow, and discover themselves. And nothing causes them to develop more quickly than being confronted by a murder while catering the wedding. Azad was publicly seen arguing with the murdered man and the deceased was found in their catering van. Making matters worse, the detective on the case has it in for Lucy and her family and is all too happy to arrest the family’s chef.

Despite her emotions concerning her ex, Lucy knows she must step up and prove his innocence, even though her mother begs her not to get involved. Helping Lucy is her very fun, very entertaining sidekick, Katie. Katie is married to a police officer and uses that position to find out information to assist their own investigation. Katie is also gung-ho which counters Lucy’s tentativeness at times. Together they find themselves in some dicey situations which adds a bit of humor to the story. The author provides plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing and the big reveal wraps up the threads of the story into a satisfying conclusion.

I greatly enjoyed the bits and pieces of Mediterranean food, music, and dances that the author weaves into the story. It adds an authentic touch to the theme and will leave the reader hungry for a taste of the delectable food served at the Kebab Kitchen! I’m thankful that the author includes several recipes at the back of the book and has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Lucy’s Baklava. I’ve had Baklava several times in my lifetime (it’s not always readily available or else I don’t know where to purchase it from) so I was ecstatic to find a recipe that sounded doable. How did it turn out? Let’s just say that my family was still talking and drooling over this recipe WEEKS after it was long gone! Without a doubt, this is one of their very top favorite desserts I’ve made for them! The recipe is not difficult although buttering the individual layers of phyllo dough can be time consuming. The resulting dish is rich but oh so yummy and satisfying and well worth the effort. I’ll be making Lucy’s Baklava time and again for any special occasion!

Amazon Synopsis

Lucy Berberian has taken over her family’s Mediterranean restaurant on the Jersey Shore after an unsatisfying stint at a Philadelphia law firm. It’s great to be back in her old beach town, even if she’s turning into a seasoned sleuth . . .
 
Catering a high-society wedding should bring in some big income for Kebab Kitchen—and raise its profile too. But it’s not exactly good publicity when the best man winds up skewered like a shish kebab. Worse yet, Lucy’s ex, Azad—who’s the restaurant’s new head chef—is the prime suspect. But she doesn’t give a fig what the cops think. He may have killer looks, but he’s no murderer. She just needs to prove his innocence, before he has to go on the lamb . . .

A special thanks to Tina Kashian for providing two copies of STABBED IN THE BAKLAVA, winners’ choice of print or digital! Contest ends September 9, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Lucy's Baklava

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 cups finely chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups clarified butter
• 1 pound phyllo dough (9-x-14-inch sheets)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

2. Combine walnuts, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl and set aside. This is the walnut filling.

3. Melt butter and coat a 14-x-10-inch baking pan. Layer 7 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, buttering each sheet with a pastry brush.

4. Spread half of the walnut filling evenly over the top.

5. Layer another 7 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, buttering each sheet.

6. Spread the remaining walnut filling evenly over the top.

7. Cover with remaining sheets of dough, buttering each sheet.

8. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven and add the simple syrup over the top. 

9. Allow baklava to cool completely before cutting it.*  
   

Simple Sugar Syrup

1. While the baklava bakes, boil together the 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1 cup water for 10 minutes. Stir often until sugar dissolves in water. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

2. Turn off flame and set syrup aside to cool. Pour cooled syrup on your baklava just as soon as it comes out of the oven. 

Tips

1. If you don't have a 14-x-10-inch baking pan substitute a 9-x-13-inch casserole dish and trim an inch from the end of the phyllo sheet roll before using. 

2. Store baklava at room temperature, covered with a tea towel, up to 5 days. 

3. *I found it easier to cut the baklava into traditional diamond shapes before baking. Just don't cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan. After applying the simple syrup and allowing to completely cool, re-cut along the original lines to make sure the baklava easily removes from pan.

 
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 27 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
August 27 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Varietats – REVIEW
August 28 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
August 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
August 30 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
August 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
August 31 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 1 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 1 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
September 3 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
September 3 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
September 3 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 4 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 5 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW  
September 5 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
September 6 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
September 7 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 7 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 7 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 8 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 9 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.