If you’ve followed my blog for long, you’ll realize that I almost never feature books that aren’t considered culinary cozy mysteries. But, I just had to make an exception for the audiobook release of A DEADLY COMBO by Karen A. Phillips, who just so happens to be the fabulous cover designer who’s created ALL my Cupcake Catering Mystery series covers! Not only is she a genius when it comes to graphic designs, but Karen is equally a master at spinning an intriguing mystery! To celebrate the ebook and print release, one of Karen’s friends baked up the most adorable sugar cookie boxing gloves. Thanks to Blair Lonergan, I’m resharing her Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies recipe below along with a photo of the cookies she made.

Without further ado, I’m delighted to be participating in the Silver Dagger Book Tours presenting A DEADLY COMBO – now available in audiobook!

My Review:

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A DEADLY COMBO is the first book in the Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery series by Karen A. Phillips. This debut mystery delivers a one-two punch with its fast-paced plot and characters that make you sit up and take notice. I adore that the protagonist, Raquel, aka Rocky, is a retired woman of a certain age. Instead of whiling away time sitting in a rocking chair, knitting away (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) she’s kicking butt and holding her own in the boxing ring at the Never Look Back gym. This brings a unique component to the cozy mystery/noir genre in that our heroine is physically strong and can defend herself if the need arises. Personally, I think Rocky is a reflection on modern day women’s mindset of strength and resilience, compared to those of previous generations… and myself being one of those women of a certain age, I heartily approve. Joining Rocky in sleuthing is her 78-year-old father. His innocent, flirtatious manner and witty banner add some humor to the pages, and he steals each scene he inhabits.

The author’s attention to detail and strong descriptive, and often humorous, voice makes the words on the pages leap to life. It adds to the enjoyment as the story unfolds. With strong characters, a great setting, and humor to round the book out, a mystery still needs well-plotted clues with compelling suspects. Have no doubt, Ms. Phillips delivers it all and more! When Rocky’s sister, Bridget, is suspected of murdering the vintage trailer restorer after she’s heard threatening him, Rocky immediately jumps in to prove her innocence. Rocky and Bridget have a tenuous relationship and Ms. Phillips adds in an element of emotional depth, that includes a long-buried family tragedy. Rocky must learn to overcome the tragedy and find inner strength to track down the killer and protect her family. With a hair-raising conclusion, I found myself turning the pages faster and faster, until I got to the end. The terrific start to this first book in the series has me eagerly waiting for a ringside seat to the next book!

Amazon Synopsis:

What do boxing and vintage trailers have in common? Meet Raquel AKA Rocky Nelson, a retired single woman with an attitude and love for boxing.

Sisters Rocky and Bridget are enjoying each other’s company at a vintage trailerfest until they stumble over a corpse. The dead guy is none other than the local trailer restorer Bridget was overheard threatening to kill. Mounting evidence leads police to focus on Bridget as a person of interest. Desperate to prove her sister innocent of murder, Rocky dons her own deerstalker cap and goes sleuthing until she runs into police detective Thompson who warns her off his case in no uncertain terms. But Rocky is tenacious if not stubborn. Combined with a 78-year-old father who becomes her sidekick, Rocky uses her courage and skills learned in boxing lessons to protect her family and keep from becoming the killer’s next victim.

A special thanks to Karen Phillips for providing one winner with a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Please use the Rafflecopter link located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends May 4, 2025 and is administered by Silver Dagger Book Tours. The winner will be notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Photo cred: Blair Lonergan

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Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Recipe shared courtesy of Blair Lonergan. The only sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need! These easy bakery-style treats are soft, thick and perfect for decorating.

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or reduce to 1/4 teaspoon for a more subtle flavor

Royal Icing (Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman)

• 2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
• 1/3 cup 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 egg whites

Instructions

Cookies:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine. Add vanilla extract and and almond extract; mix until incorporated.

3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix on low until a soft dough forms.

4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of lightly-floured parchment paper or a lightly-floured silicone mat. With a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems sticky.

5. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight).

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

7. Carefully remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Arrange the shapes about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

8. You can re-roll the dough scraps to cut out additional cookies, but you will need to chill the cut-out dough on the baking sheets in the fridge or freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking. This will give the dough a chance to firm up again so that the cookies don’t spread in the oven.

9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with royal icing.

Royal Icing:

1. In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, milk and egg whites with an electric mixer until thick and glossy. Add more powdered sugar if the icing seems too thin (the size of the eggs can affect consistency). Just play with it until it’s right. The icing should be stiff enough to “stand still” and not run when piped.

Notes:

1. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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About the Author
Karen A. Phillips enjoys writing mysteries, MG/YA fantasy, and poetry. She resides in Northern California, and is a proud member of Sisters In Crime and Willamette Writers. . . . and yes, she does take boxing lessons. Visit her at:

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Here are the purchase links for A Deadly Combo: 

Amazon                                                                 

Audible

B&N  

Kobo 

Apple

EXCERPT FROM A DEADLY COMBO

The exterior lamp cast a dim amber glow over the deck where Opal had stood earlier that day. Moths
flew against the light, their suicidal efforts creating a luminescent haze.
I had decided to return to Wes’s property, desperate to find some clue as to where he hid his money. I
was convinced finding the money would lead me to the killer. Even though my visit with Dad had gleaned
nothing, at least I was now somewhat familiar with the lay of the land. I gained access from the farthest
corner where I found a stretch of barbed wire fencing. A weathered NO TRESPASSING sign dangled. I
carefully pushed the wire down and stepped over, avoiding the sharp barbs. I approached the house from
the back, moving from tree to tree until I found a large oak where I could observe yet remain unseen. I hid
behind the thick trunk and waited. The full moon cast everything into shades of blue. The carcasses of
trailers amidst the trees created a grim and forbidding landscape. Somewhere an owl hooted, and another
answered.
The kitchen light was on, and I assumed Opal was home. From my vantage point, I couldn’t tell if her
car was in the garage, nor could I see if any vehicles were parked in front of the house. After a time, the
sliding glass door opened, and two people stepped out onto the deck. I craned my neck to get a better
look, but unfortunately, my view was partially blocked by shrubbery and branches. I only had a partial
view of the deck and the stairs.
At that moment, my nose tickled, and I sneezed into the crook of my arm, in an attempt to dampen the
sound.
Duke woofed, then got up and shook himself, the chain jangling. He went to the deck railing,
dragging the chain behind him over the wooden boards. He put his nose through the slats and sniffed.
I froze.
The couple didn’t seem to notice. They stood close together and after a few minutes, parted.
I strained to hear what they were saying, but their voices were muffled. I changed my position and
stepped on a stout twig, breaking it, the sound as loud as a firecracker.
Duke growled.
“Something . . . there,” said Opal.
The man muttered an answer.
“He doesn’t growl at nothing,” Opal said, loud enough to hear. “I’ll get a flashlight.”
The man descended the stairs.
The sliding door opened and closed. “Catch,” Opal said. “I’m letting Duke off his chain. He’ll find
whatever’s out there.”
My heart jumped to my throat. I frantically looked for somewhere to hide.

A tarp covered an object sitting low to the ground. Most likely a boat. Whatever it was, it was the
nearest hiding place.
The beam of the flashlight played over the terrain, too close for comfort. I dropped to the dirt and
scrambled on all fours under the tarp. Acorns and pinecones bit into my palms. Cobwebs brushed against
my face. I stifled a scream. I pulled myself into a tight ball and waited while images of spiders, ticks, and
other creepy crawlers, filled my head. Mold and decay assaulted my senses. I breathed through my mouth.
When the beam from the flashlight found the tarp, I squeezed my eyes shut. Please, please, keep going.
Move on, I begged silently.
Duke rooted around, sniffing the ground in excitement, then whined.
“Ugh,” said the man.
I opened my eyes to see something black, the size of a cat, disappear under a trailer. The white stripe
registered too late in my brain to react. Skunk!

The second book in the series, A DEADLY MATCH, is also available in print and ebook.
Click on the graphic to visit Amazon. 

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FATAL BROUHAHA is the fifth book in the Ground Rules Mysteries by Emmeline Duncan. It doesn’t get much better than pairing whiskey with coffee and launching the joint venture with a 4^th of July festival and fireworks display to celebrate! Protagonist Sage Caplin and her business partner, Harley, own Ground Rules, a successful and expanding coffee company in Portland, Oregon. Sage is a wonderful character. She’s ambitious, yet down-to-earth, relatable, and a good friend to all her employees and customers. The author does an admirable job in giving each character individual personalities with well-developed backstories. She also brings the setting of Portland and the festival to life, so that the reader feels like they’re right there, smelling the mouthwatering aroma of fresh-ground coffee and tasting the invigorating brew, while listening to bands playing popular music. Harley is a good foil to outgoing Sage. She’s the character behind the scenes making things happen while developing the specialty coffee grinds their company is known for. She’s quiet, yet steady, so when their nemesis, Mark, creates a brouhaha and Harley lashes out, it’s unexpected.

Mark has been a thorn in the Ground Rules business from the very first book. And while murder is never the right answer, it seems karma has finally caught up to him… except it doesn’t take long for Harley to become the primary suspect. As if launching a business venture and planning a wedding isn’t enough, Sage knows Harley is innocent and pulls out all the stops to prove it. The author provides a well-plotted mystery with twists and turns that kept me engrossed in the pages, with plenty of suspects who might have wanted the rival coffee house owner dead. The subplots added interest and intertwined with the story perfectly. There is a touch of humor and heartwarming scenes to make you want to come back and see what happens next in Sage’s life, while keeping the reader guessing with a clever whodunit!

Sage creates all kinds of delicious treats to sell at Ground Rules. I appreciate that often the recipes are dairy free with tips on making them gluten-free for those who have dietary concerns. As soon as I saw the recipe for Ground Rules Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars, I knew I had to try them. My goodness, these are rich, chewy, and oh-so-yummy! The oatmeal provides a nice texture to the bars, and there is a decadent amount of chocolate chips to keep the bars gooey. I’ll readily admit that this is one of those treats I wanted to hoard for myself. But since they are easy enough to mix up and bake, I decided to share and then bake up a second batch.

Amazon Synopsis

In addition to her beloved coffees, Sage is thrilled to be expanding her offerings in collaboration with the local whiskey company that is throwing the festival. And how better to launch their new product than with fellow entrepreneurs. But among the crowd of artists and creators, Sage is surprised to spot Left Coast Grinds owner Mark Jeffries, who has it out for Ground Rules. The distillery didn’t invite Mark and they apologize. But nothing can make up for the glare Mark aims at Sage and her co-owner, Harley. And that’s just a taste of what’s to come . . .

Soon Mark incites a loud argument with Harley and is ousted from the property. But later that night, Sage finds Mark’s body by the Ground Rules Subaru. She knows that when investigators learn that Harley and Mark had a history of butting heads, Harley will be a prime suspect—and she’s right. But Mark rubbed many people the wrong way, and several are at the festival. Now Sage will have to filter through secrets, grudges, and blackmail to get to the bitter truth—and as her sleuthing heats up, the closing fireworks won’t just be the ones in the sky . . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of FATAL BROUHAHA to one lucky winner! Contest ends May 4, 2025 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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Ground Rules Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or substitute butter if desired)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (you can sub in an equal amount of oat flour to make it gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (this recipe will be dairy-free if you use dairy-free chocolate chips!)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F), and line an 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment paper.

2. Add the dry ingredients (salt, baking soda, flour, and rolled oats) to a bowl, mix, and set aside.

3. Combine the vegetable oil (or butter), brown sugar, and white sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and airy.

4. Add the egg, mixing well; then add the vanilla. If you use oil, beat it until the mixture looks frothy. If you use butter, it will be denser (but still light).

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

6. Dump the cookie dough into the prepared pan and gently level it with your fingers or a spoon (don't press it down hard).

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes; the cookies should be golden brown on top.

8. Remove from oven and let the pan cool completely before cutting into bars.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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WRITTEN IN STONE is the tenth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries by Paige Shelton. Once again, I was captivated by protagonist Delaney Nichols and the utterly charming city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Not only does the author immerse the reader in the culture and ancient buildings, but she weaves in modern day life, which thrives in the castle’s shadow perched atop Castle Rock. I simply adore the Cracked Spine Bookshop where Delaney works, and her close relationship with the other employees who have become her friends/almost family since she moved to Scotland. In this newest release, Delaney and her husband are taking part in the Hidden Door Festival and have received an invitation to visit a reclusive artist’s studio, that of Ryory Bennigan. I was fascinated by the artist’s devotion to the long-lost Picts and their art. I’d never heard of this ancient group of people, but Ms. Shelton does an admirable job intertwining some of the known history in such a creative way, it never felt like I was reading anything but fiction.

After a chance meeting with a fellow American, a paleontologist from Kansas also interested in the Picts and claiming to have found a valuable artifact, Delaney is horrified to find he was murdered shortly after their encounter. With the police not making any progress on finding the killer, Delaney and her innate curiosity, starts digging into the paleontologist’s life and past. With secrets and scandals, poisonings and Picts, fraud and fakes, the tightly plotted mystery takes the reader on a fast-paced ride. There were twists I didn’t see coming and suspects that had me second guessing myself with every turn of the page. With a heart stopping reveal, Delaney proves that she’s a brave and determined woman and I can’t wait to find out what new adventures she finds herself in!

While the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries don’t contain recipes, you can’t visit Scotland without imbibing strong tea, Scotch whiskey, and nibbling on shortbread. A very dear friend of mine, Joan Wallace, is of Scottish ancestry. Her father immigrated from Scotland to Canada long, long ago and brought his family’s shortbread recipe with him. I was honored when she allowed me to not only have her family’s Grandma Bea Farries’ Scottish Shortbread Cookie recipe that’s been passed down through generations, but allowed me to share on my blog! These Scottish Shortbread Cookies uses only four simple ingredients to create buttery cookies that melt in your mouth and is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Amazon Synopsis

When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan’s studio, she isn’t sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts—complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair—recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts’ language really sounded like.

Or at least that’s what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.

With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace’s past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace’s shady background—selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case… or risk becoming a pile of bones herself.

A special thanks to Paige Shelton for offering a print copy of WRITTEN IN STONE to one lucky winner! Contest ends April 27, 2025 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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Grandma Bea Farries’ Scottish Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is from a dear friend of mine, Joan Wallace, who's family immigrated from Scotland a century ago. The recipe has been passed down through the generations and I was honored to be allowed the privilege of sharing it.

Makes approximately 27 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 pound (4 sticks) butter
• 1 cup (4.4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
• 3 cups (16 ounces) flour, pack it down in the cup when measuring
• 1/2 cup (2.2 ounces) cornstarch

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour, cornstarch, and confectioners’ sugar together. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
5. Form the dough into golf ball-sized shapes (I used my 2-tablespoon spring-loaded cookie scoop) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Gently press the tines of a fork on the top of the cookie, making a criss-cross pattern. You don’t want to flatten the cookies, just imprint them. The dough should remain at least a half-inch high.
7. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
8. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note:

1. If you use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and sift with the flour mixture.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.