It’s time to say goodbye…

It’s been an amazing (almost) eleven years writing the Cinnamon & Sugar blog!
But, after careful consideration, I’ve decided it’s time to end the blog
and focus more of my attention on writing cozy mysteries.

Not to worry though, I’ve taken steps to keep the blog active for several years,
so we can all go back to find recipes, authors, and books
that I’ve shared over the course of the blog.

Fortunately, I’ll still get to do some creative baking and blogging
over at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen every month
so I hope you’ll join me there!

I can’t tell you how wonderful it’s been to connect to all of you lovely people,
who share my enjoyment of cooking and cozy mysteries!
I’m listing links below on where you’ll be able to connect with me
and continue on to the next chapter in books and food.

From my heart to yours, thank you for being a part of my journey!

Where to find me:

🎉 Sign up for my newsletter – I frequently have subscriber-only contests:

https://kimdavisauthor.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Davis-Author-1532277473479031

Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen: https://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/

Cozy Town Sleuths (I post on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays each month:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/295263407973070

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkimdavis/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-davis-899e51b0-5661-401c-98b1-ec4c2973d58a

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kim-Davis/author/B093NRS3F2

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14713259.K_A_Davis

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kimdavisauthor

Cherry Bell Christmas Cookies

Click on book to visit Amazon

SLEIGH BELLS AT MOONGLOW is the eleventh book in the Moonglow Christmas series by Deborah Garner. This annual holiday novella brings Christmas magic to the reader, and each year I eagerly await its arrival. Snuggled up beneath a quilt, with hot cocoa and cookies to enjoy, and a roaring fire to read next to, evokes the coziness of this series! Protagonist Mist brings a sense of peace to everyone she encounters and embodies the giving spirit of Christmas. I loved that her young daughter, Rain, is becoming a part of the traditions at the Timberton Hotel in Montana. It brings a charming wide-eyed innocence, seeing the delightful traditions—new and old—through the eyes of children. Ms. Garner knows how to write strong descriptive scenes, so that the reader experiences the smell of fresh evergreen boughs, feel the chill from the falling snow, taste the cinnamon and sugar glazing crunchy walnuts, hear the jingling of sleigh bells, and see the festive decorations adorning the tree. If you’re looking for a sweet holiday read to usher in the holidays, Sleigh Bells at Moonglow is the perfect short book to curl up with!

With hotelkeeper Betty hosting the town’s annual cookie exchange, there are loads of delicious mentions of cookies and treats throughout the story. And, best of all, there are numerous cookie recipes included at the back of the book… it’s like a mini cookbook and all sound equally tempting! I’m delighted that my recipe for Cherry Bell Christmas Cookies is included in Sleigh Bells at Moonglow and I’m sharing it here. Starting with a simple almond-flavored sugar cookie base, cutout rounds of cookie dough are folded to resemble a bell, with halved maraschino cherries added for the clapper. These cookies will bring a touch of nostalgia to any holiday cookie platter along with a cheerful splash of color. And a hint: Santa and his elves will love a plateful of these cookies as well!

Synopsis

Christmas in the small Montana town of Timberton is always filled with heartfelt camaraderie, exquisite cuisine, and holiday cheer. An old-fashioned sleigh ride through the forest this year promises to bring plenty of joy as well as a sense of community for both visitors and townsfolk as they celebrate the season.

Resident artist and chef, Mist, always finds a way of bringing inspiration to those around her. Add in the traditional Christmas Eve feast in the Moonglow Cafe and the sweet gathering for Betty’s Cookie Exchange, and it’s guaranteed to be a holiday to cherish. As always, no one leaves Timberton without renewed hope for the future.

A special thanks to Deborah Garner for offering a print copy of SLEIGH BELLS AT MOONGLOW to one lucky winner! Contest ends December 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the KingSumo box located below the recipe 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!)

Cherry Bell Christmas Cookies

Makes approximately 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:

3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
12 maraschino cherries halved and patted dry

Icing: (Optional)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon meringue powder optional
2 teaspoons cool water

Instructions

Cookies:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy on medium speed. Add in the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in the egg yolk and almond extract.
Turn the mixer to low and mix in the salt and the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix just until combined.
Form the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, then preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick and, using a cookie cutter, cut into 2-1/2 to 3-inch rounds. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and repeat the process two times.
To form the rounds of dough into bell shapes, fold two edges of the upper half of the cookie over to the middle, overlapping somewhat. The top of the cookie should be narrow, and the bottom half should be wide. Refrigerate the shaped cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then place the halved cherries on the wide bottom half, just below the fold, to resemble a bell clapper.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are barely golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing:

Stir the confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder (if using), and the water together until completely smooth. You want the icing to be thick. Place the icing into a piping bag fitted with a size 3 round tip.
Outline the completely cooled cookies to resemble a bell, leaving the center fold line un-iced. Allow the icing to dry for at least 8 hours to harden.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container with waxed or parchment paper between the layers, at room temperature for up to three days.

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Unfortunately it’s finally time to end my Cinnamon & Sugar blog, and I’m grateful to end it with such an uplifting and inspirational book like Sleigh Bells at Moonglow! Sending my best wishes for a wonderful holiday season to each and every one of you!

It’s been a terrific (almost) eleven years getting to know you and so many wonderful authors plus trying out so many new recipes. I’ll be keeping the website “live” for at least another four years (that’s how long I’ve paid all the necessary fees associated with the blog website host), so you’ll have access to the recipes and the book reviews. Plus it gives me the opportunity to reevaluate or put up an impromptu post should the muse strike. I’ll be keeping my Cinnamon & Sugar Facebook page live and will occasionally share news from my books and other authors on it.

I truly appreciate the love and support each and every one of you have shown for my blog. If you’d like to keep in touch, please follow my Cinnamon & Sugar Facebook page, my author Facebook page, or subscribe to my author newsletter by clicking on the links below:

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Horchata Cupcakes

I’m celebrating the release of
CATERING TO THE DEAD
this week with a giveaway package and a recipe!

What it’s about:

When cupcake caterer Emory Martinez takes on a lavish Día de los Muertos party, she’s drawn into a twenty-year-old family tragedy. With extravagant Day of the Dead costumes, drinks flowing, desserts galore, and a celebration in full swing, not all is as joyous as it may seem. When the festivities come to a close, Emory discovers a body, and evidence points to her being the prime suspect. To clear her name, she and her octogenarian soon-to-be grandmother-in-law, Tillie, must team up with their friends to navigate a web of blackmail, betrayal, and buried secrets. Will she survive confronting a killer who will do anything to protect their freedom and hide their web of deceit, or will her catering days come to an end?

To purchase ebook and print from Amazon, or read on Kindle Unlimited: CATERING TO THE DEAD

Paperback available at Barnes & Nobel: CATERING TO THE DEAD

Book includes recipes like this one for Horchata Cupcakes! Continue scrolling down for the printable recipe and see how to enter the giveaway package contest.

Horchata Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon horchata extract or substitute additional vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup horchata

Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese softened (use the brick-style cream cheese, not whipped)
1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon horchata extract or substitute vanilla
1 tablespoon horchata

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar together and beat on medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla and horchata extracts. Mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
Alternating the flour with the horchata in 3 additions, stir into the butter and sugar mixture. Avoid overmixing.
Divide between the prepared cupcake tin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer are fine.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the cupcake tin then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth and creamy on medium speed, about 3 minutes.
Lower the speed and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Add the horchata, cinnamon, salt, and horchata extract and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star tip. Pipe frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes.
Store in the refrigerator until an hour before serving.

Note:

Horchata is a rice-based drink that is typically made with rice and water, and flavored with cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla.

Enter for a chance to win a collection of Día de los Muertos items (including See’s Candy and Bath & Body Works products) plus a $10 Amazon gift card and some swag! Contest open to US residents only and ends November 7, 2025. Use the KingSumo box below to enter.

I’m delighted to be joining Daryl Wood Gerber at Book Carnival for an in-person event tomorrow (Saturday)! If you live in Southern California I hope to see you there! If you can’t join us, Book Carnival will have signed books in stock and can ship directly to you.

When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 2:00pm

Where: Book Carnival / 348 S. Tustin Street Orange, CA 92866

I’ve been struggling with a very difficult decision and have finally decided now is the time to end my Cinnamon & Sugar blog, aside from a Christmas cookie post I’ve already prepared for December 2nd. It’s been a terrific (almost) eleven years getting to know you and so many wonderful authors plus trying out so many new recipes! I’ll be keeping the website “live” for at least another four years (that’s how long I’ve paid all the necessary fees associated with the blog website host), so you’ll have access to the recipes and the book reviews. Plus it gives me the opportunity to reevaluate or put up an impromptu post should the muse strike. I’ll be keeping my Cinnamon & Sugar Facebook page live and will occasionally share news from my books and other authors on it.

Cinnamon & Sugar Facebook Page

Kim Davis Author Facebook Page

Subscribe to my newsletter

Missy and I wish you a fun and safe Halloween!

To purchase ebook and print from Amazon, or read on Kindle Unlimited: CATERING TO THE DEAD

Paperback available at Barnes & Nobel: CATERING TO THE DEAD

Simple Blueberry Tarts

Click on book to visit Amazon

MURDER BY THE MILLIONS is the second book in the Literary Dining Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. With a book club gala theme of The Great Gatsby planned, caterer Allie Catt has the opportunity to pull out all the stops to showcase her growing business, Dream Cuisine, and in the process attract new clients. It’s a win-win for her and for her best friend, Tegan, owner of Feast for the Eyes bookstore and hostess of the event. The author does a marvelous job of bringing the theme of The Great Gatsby to life on the pages. Each chapter starts with a quote from the book, and she manages to make the quote pertinent to what happens in the story. Then there are the enticing descriptions, bringing each scene to life—from glittering costumes, to delectable food, to table settings, to music, each working to enhance the Gatsby mystique. I also enjoyed the character of Allie Catt and the friendship she has with Tegan. And while Allie may be at odds occasionally with Tegan’s sister, Vanna, there is character growth between the pair, which adds to the appeal.

While in the midst of planning the Gatsby event, Jason Gardner, a developer, comes to town and asks Allie to cater an extravagant party. While the business would be good for her, she’s troubled by his plans to replace historic buildings with a mall, no doubt impacting the small town’s businesses and the residents’ livelihoods. Still, Jason is charming, and Allie is finally convinced he’s not a bad guy at all. When he texts her it’s urgent she meet him at his estate late one night, she shows up only to find him murdered… and she’s been implicated in the crime! Reluctant but knowing she doesn’t have much choice, Allie starts asking questions and digging into Jason’s past. The mystery is well-plotted, and the story moves at a fast pace. There were twists that kept me guessing and turns that kept me glued to the pages until I’d read the very last word. The reveal answered all my questions, and the concluding festivities proved to be highly satisfying and quite dreamy!

As with all of Daryl Wood Gerber’s cozy mysteries, you can expect some mouthwatering mentions of food throughout the story, and a plethora of recipes at the back of the book. Murder by the Millions is no exception, and I couldn’t wait to try out the Simple Blueberry Tarts. Starting with frozen tart shells (I used the mini phyllo shells) the blueberry filling cooks up quickly on the stovetop. I liked the tartness brought by the addition of lemon juice to the mixture. It was a nice contrast to the sweet berries and whipped cream. I also enjoyed the use of fresh berries—half cooked and half left raw—which added a nice texture and bite to the tarts. These simple blueberry tarts really are simple to make and delicious to eat!

Synopsis

If it were true that the best thing a girl can be in this world is a fool, then Allie Catt would be out of luck. Fortunately, Allie’s business is a smashing success. And following her Pride and Prejudice event, grander plans await . . .

Feast for the Eyes bookstore manager and Allie’s best friend, Tegan, is hosting a book club soiree and wants it to be a glittering affair based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic Jazz Age-set novel, The Great Gatsby. Soon, Art Deco table settings and visions of flappers are dancing the Charleston in their heads. Even Tegan’s prickly sister, Vanna, is on board. And surely, Allie’s tuxedo cat, Darcy, thinks it’s the cat’s meow.

Amid the planning, charismatic developer Jason Gardner arrives in town to buy some historic buildings on Main Street. He, too, has plans: to create a modern mall. Allie is more than concerned. She even wants to protest. But when Jason invites her to cater a lavish party, she finds him surprisingly likable. Then she’s summoned to his estate for a meeting—and finds him dead.

Once again Allie’s landed in the middle of a crime scene.

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of MURDER BY THE MILLIONS to one lucky winner! Contest ends November 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the KingSumo contest box located below recipe 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!)

Simple Blueberry Tarts

Yield: 12 tarts

Ingredients

1 dozen frozen tart shells (may be gluten free)
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Whipped cream, if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the tart shells on the baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove the shells from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Next, pour 1-1/2 cups of the blueberries into a small saucepan. Do not turn on the heat on the stove yet.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the sugar mixture and the lemon juice to the berries in the saucepan and stir. Next, bring the blueberry mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the berries burst and soften, and the juices thicken. Then allow the mixture to come to a boil, and cook for 1 minute more to thicken it further. This also removes some of the "starchiness" of the cornstarch.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1-1/2 cups blueberries. Let the blueberry filling sit for 1 minute, and then spoon it into the reserved tart shells. Allow the tarts to cool for 10 to 20 minutes so that the filling firms up.
Serve the tarts with whipped cream, if desired. Refrigerate any leftover tarts.

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I’m delighted to be joining Daryl Wood Gerber at Book Carnival for an in-person event! If you live in Southern California I hope to see you there! If you can’t join us, Book Carnival will have signed books in stock and can ship directly to you.

When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 2:00pm

Where: Book Carnival / 348 S. Tustin Street Orange, CA 92866

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

Cheesy Turkey & Veg Pasta

Click on book to visit Amazon

I’m delighted to be participating in the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour introducing THANKS FOR MUFFIN, the eighth book in the Merry Muffin Mysteries by Victoria Hamilton! It’s been a few years since the release of the last book in this charming series, and I was happy to see a new installment and a chance to catch up with protagonist Merry Wynter. Merry and her best friend, Pish, are preparing for the grand opening gala of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts. A longtime dream of theirs, it was rewarding to see it all come together as they got ready to celebrate. Ms. Hamilton fills the readers’ senses with her vivid descriptions of the settings and brings the characters to life on the page. Given the time between the last book and this new release, the author takes her time to reacquaint the reader with the characters and catch them up on what’s been going on. There’s also a helpful list of characters at the beginning of the book to help keep track of the main characters. There’s a slow buildup, filled with family, friends, and guests as they gather to celebrate the gala and Thanksgiving the following day. That said, the first part of the book’s pacing was a bit slow with a gradual lead up to the crime. And given the magnitude of the huge grand opening celebration, and there are so many characters to keep track of, I found myself flipping to the beginning to remind myself of who I was reading about.

That said, once the actual murder takes place, the plot kicks into high gear with Merry and Pish in the thick of the investigation. With such numerous people attending the grand opening, there’s a wide pool of suspects who not only had reasons to want the victim dead, but who had the opportunity to do the deed. It kept me guessing as the author led me on with twists and turns, only for me to change my mind a few pages later. There are clues for the armchair detective to follow… but be careful not to fall for misdirection like I did. As Merry’s investigation digs deeper, the author expertly weaves in the day-to-day life of running the Performing Arts Center, and entertaining guests at her castle. I enjoyed how well Merry works not only with her best friend, Pish, in uncovering the culprit, but she also relies on her private investigator husband, Virgil. As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, the heart-stopping reveal kept me glued to the pages as I waited with bated breath to see how it played out… which ended up being quite thrilling! This is a great addition to the series, and I hope more books are planned in the future!

There are a few delectable recipes included at the back of the book for the home cook to try out. Ms. Hamilton also provided me with a bonus recipe to share today: Cheesy Turkey & Veg Pasta. It’s a delicious and filling dish to warm you up as fall months turn cooler. And since it’s filled with lean protein and a generous amount of veggies, it’s quite healthy. I liked it relies on ground turkey for ease (I always keep some in my freezer for quick meals), and standard veggies that I generally have in my refrigerator. Just a note though, since my husband has to eat dairy-free, I used dairy-free cheddar cheese shreds and dairy-free parmesan. The actual dish may look a bit different from my version because of my substitutions. Even with my changes, the non-dairy Cheesy Turkey & Veg Pasta received two thumbs up and a request to make it again!

When Merry Wynter’s festive gala takes a fatal turn, she’ll have to grill her guests to catch a killer . . .

After years of planning and hard work, Merry Wynter was finally ready to host the grand opening gala of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts. With musicians, entertainers, members of the media and even influencers on the guest list, the event went off without a hitch—until a particularly nasty journalist posted a criticism of the gala and everything Merry was trying to accomplish. Still reeling from the review days later, Merry wasn’t sure what to feel when she discovered the reporter’s dead body on the grounds of Wynter Castle.

With many of her guests staying on at the castle for the weekend, Merry realizes they’ve got a murderer in their midst. Going from celebrating to sleuthing, she discreetly questions each of them, trying to weed out the culprit. She quickly learns that the victim had heated arguments with several of the people at the gala, and it turns out those people were all connected by a tragedy in the past. Certain the killer is among them, Merry will have to unearth the final clue that nails the killer—before the killer decides she’s getting too close . . .

Includes delicious recipes!

A special thanks to Victoria Hamilton for providing one winner with a “Hug from Canada” that also includes a $50 Amazon gift card! Contest is open to US and Canadian residents and ends October 20, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. Please use the King Sumo box located below to enter. Contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour and the winner will be announced on this page and notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Cheesy Turkey & Veg Pasta

Victoria Hamilton: Recently I’ve had to get creative with pasta. I have a friend who has had to switch to a low potassium diet, and wouldn’t you know it, tomato-based sauces are very high in potassium. But I’ve toyed with some recipes and really liked this one I came up with that used ground lean turkey, a versatile protein. I even found it for 30% off and threw it in the freezer.

This is comfort food in a big bowl! And it’s nice to change up pasta night from tomato based sauces. The great thing about this dish is, you can extend it with more of any of the vegetables, or even more pasta. It’s a great recipe to change up with your own additions.

This is delicious, filling and pasta-rific! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 a red or yellow pepper (or more if you like!) cut into chunks.
1 or 2 zucchini diced coarsely (2 small or 1 medium to large)
1-1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms
1-1/2 cups uncooked pasta – I used farfalle
1 teaspoon garlic: freshly minced or minced in a jar.
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Old Bay
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar – my preference was an old cheddar. Suit your own taste.
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
concentrated bouillon – 1 to 2 tablespoons liquid bouillon to taste: liquid bouillon can be salty, so start with 1 tablespoon and taste before adding more!
A scoop of the pasta water
Olive oil

Instructions

Start pasta cooking in boiling water; you’ll cook this while the rest of the meal is being prepared. Undercook slightly and do not drain the pasta immediately, as you will use some of the pasta water!
While the pasta is cooking on the stove, in an electric or stovetop frying pan cook the ground turkey and then remove from pan with slotted spoon. Set aside.
Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in that same pan, and start the peppers frying for 5 – 7 minutes, add mushroom and cook for a couple of more minutes. Lastly add the thickly diced zucchini. Cook until all veg are tender, but not mushy. Keep a close eye on the zucchini; it can go from perfect to mush in the time it takes to say it. If you’re using fresh garlic, add it to pan 1 – 2 minutes before veggies are done.
Add turkey back into pan. Add seasonings: if using the jarred garlic add it now, as well as the garlic powder, onion salt, Old Bay, black pepper and the concentrated bouillon.
Add the grated cheddar and cooked pasta now, as well as a little of the pasta water. Stir and add the parmesan. The melted cheese and pasta water will make a sauce. If it’s too dry, add a little more of the pasta water until the desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately!

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About Victoria Hamilton:

Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. Victoria is the bestselling author of three mystery series, the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and the Merry Muffin Mysteries. She also writes a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.

Social Details:

Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her newsletter for all the latest!)

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaHamiltonMysteryAuthor

On BlueSky: @mysteryvictoria.bsky.social

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysteryauthorvictoriahamilton/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/598635.Victoria_Hamilton

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Hamilton/e/B007T7LGAU

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 10 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 10 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW

October 11 – FUONLYKNEW – RECIPE

October 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 12 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – RECIPE

October 13 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

October 14 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 14 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE

October 14 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW

October 15 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 15 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, RECIPE

October 15 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 16 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 17 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 18 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 19 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews SPOTLIGHT

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

Leftover Sweet Potato Muffins

Click on book to visit Amazon

DEATH OF A TOM TURKEY is the eighteenth book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries by Lee Hollis. Thanksgiving can be chaotic all on its own, but even more so for protagonist Hayley Powell. She’s juggling a restaurant, writing a column for the local newspaper, attending the local turkey shoot, and trying to find out who non-lethally shot local curmudgeon Tom Farley. Throw in some greedy land developers, an agoraphobic therapist, an ex-Army sniper, a flock of roaming turkeys, two zany best friends, her husband’s ex, and a wood chipper and you’ve got yourself a plot that had me laughing out loud and turning pages to find out what happens next. The characters keep me coming back for each new book in the series. Hayley isn’t a sophisticated amateur sleuth, yet her bumbling charm only adds delight to the storyline. Surrounded by her family and best friends, you can’t help but enjoy not only their banter but also admire their close and caring relationships. Hayley knows she can count on them whenever she needs it.

From the very beginning of the book, the plot moves at a fast pace. There is always something happening, and I didn’t want to put the book down until I’d read to the end. When you’ve got a victim who’s as mean as a junkyard dog (even the nurses throw a party when he’s released from the hospital after the first attempt on his life) you know there are going to be suspects galore as Hayley starts asking questions and digging for answers. There are several twists that caught me by surprise, some emotional moments, and lots of Lee Hollis’ trademark humor to lighten the book. If you enjoy holiday-themed cozy mysteries, then you’ll enjoy Death of a Tom Turkey! It has all the right ingredients to evoke the feeling of Thanksgiving while providing a prickly mystery to solve.

With Hayley writing the Island Food & Spirits column for the local newspaper, there are lots of recipes for food and cocktails included in the book. I love that some of the recipes use leftover Thanksgiving food, such as the Leftover Sweet Potato Muffins! Since I didn’t have any leftover sweet potato casserole to use, I boiled and mashed some sweet potatoes… which turned out to be a mistake on my part. There was too much moisture in the muffins, and they took a long, long time to bake through. Next time I’ll use baked or roasted sweet potatoes to cut down on the extra moisture. That said, these were delicious even with my error, and I’ll be trying these again… right after our Thanksgiving feast!

Synopsis

The relationships between bad-tempered Tom Farley and his neighbors are as bitter as a bowl of raw cranberries, but would one of them have taken it far enough to replace birdshot with a real bullet and make him a target at a shooting competition? That’s what the injured turkey farmer is claiming from his hospital bed—in between terrorizing the nurses—and he insists it’s because a property developer is looking to buy them all out for big money. But Tom says he was born on that land, and he intends to die on it. Sadly, that happens sooner than he expects.

Now an inquisitive Hayley has a cornucopia of suspects to consider, from an agoraphobic therapist to an ex-Army sniper, while also preparing for Thanksgiving. But with the strange twists and dark secrets still to be revealed, this case will not be as easy as pie . . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print copy of DEATH OF A TOM TURKEY to one lucky winner! Contest ends October 5, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the KingSumo contest box located below recipe 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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Leftover Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup more if you like them sweeter)
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce (skip if your sweet potatoes had apple pie filling)
2 cups leftover mashed sweet potatoes

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (F). Line or grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
In another bowl, combine the sugar, egg, oil, applesauce (if using), and sweet potatoes.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Divide the batter into the lined or greased 12-cup muffin tin.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool or 10 minutes.
Enjoy these muffins and may your Thanksgiving leftovers always bring joy (and fewer salads)!

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes

I used leftover mashed sweet potatoes that had been cooked using the boiling in water method. The muffins ended up needing to be baked much longer than called for and were overly moist... but still tasty! My recommendation would be to use sweet potatoes that have been either baked or roasted, which will remove some of the extra moisture for best results.