I’m celebrating the release of ESSENTIALS OF MURDER with a giveaway and a recipe, plus a reminder that my publisher has discounted the ebook price to only $0.99!

What it’s about:

After a scandalous arrest in San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael has moved back to her small Southern California hometown to start over as she opens her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop and reflexology services. A tourist destination, Oak Creek Valley, seems the perfect place to put the past behind her, but it seems no one will let her forget. When she finds the man who threatened to drive her out of business murdered in her shop, Carissa becomes the primary suspect, especially when her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Despite her father’s position as Oak Creek Valley’s chief of police, most townspeople assume she’s guilty.

Refusing to run again, Carissa knows she must prove her innocence to save her shop and save her father’s career when the investigating detective turns his focus on her. With suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it’s up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it’s too late.

Includes essential oil and reflexology tips, plus a recipe.

Use the Rafflecopter link below the recipe to enter for a chance to win a selection of lavender products from Bath & Body Works, a lavender sachet with essential oil my granddaughter bought while in Croatia this summer just for you!, plus a $10 Amazon gift card. Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends 9/26/24.

While my new series is not a culinary cozy, I couldn’t help but include a food element in the story via Jasper and the patisserie. In Essentials of Murder, Carissa begins to worry a bit about the health consequences of indulging in Jasper’s to-die-for triple chocolate rolls every day. (The chocolate roll recipe is included in the book.) He suggests she try his mini honey-sweetened cheesecake with fresh fruit topping. While not nearly as decadent as the chocolate rolls, the mini cheesecakes satisfies her sweet tooth and makes for a light and refreshing dessert.

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Mini No-Bake Honey Cheesecakes

(Makes 15 bite-sized cheesecakes)

Ingredients

• 1 1.9 ounce package of 15 mini phyllo cups
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened softened
• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Seasonal berries
• Optional: 1 tablespoon apricot jam, warmed 15 seconds in microwave

Instructions

1. *Bring the mini phyllo cups to room temperature according to package directions.
2. Place the cream cheese into a medium-sized bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy using an electric handheld mixer.
3. Add in the Greek yogurt, warmed (not hot!) honey, and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed, until fully incorporated and mixture is light and creamy, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and fill the phyllo cups. Alternately, you can use a small scoop to fill the phyllo cups.
5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
6. Arrange berries on the tops of the cheesecakes. If desired, brush warmed (not hot!) apricot jam over the fruit for added sweetness and for creating a shiny appearance.
7. Refrigerate for an additional hour before serving.
8. Best served the day of preparing, otherwise the crust softens. However, you can store leftover cheesecakes in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Notes:

1. *For a crispier crust, bake the mini phyllo cups according to package directions. Allow shells to completely cool before filling.
2. For a lump-free cheesecake, make sure all the ingredients are room temperature and the honey is warm, when blending.

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I’m delighted to share that Essentials of Murder will be featured by Great Escapes Virtual Book tour! Stop by at one or all the stops, to say hi and enter for a chance to win an Amazon gift card.

September 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

September 25 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

September 26 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

September 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 26 – Guatemala Loves to Read – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

September 27 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 27 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 27 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 28 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW*

September 28 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT

September 28 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 30 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

September 30 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

September 30 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

September 30 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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DEATH OF A GINGERBREAD MAN is the seventeenth book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries by Lee Hollis. Nothing is better than being surrounded by family while celebrating the Christmas season… unless your father, who abandoned you forty-odd years ago, shows up at the very same time your mother comes for an extended stay. Protagonist Hayley Powell’s quiet Christmas is filled with angst trying to juggle her parents and then turns into a nightmare when her father becomes a murder suspect. The author does a marvelous job setting the stage for not only family drama along with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the season, but interjects humor to keep the story lighthearted. I also appreciated getting to know Hayley’s backstory through the sudden appearance of her father. She has had quite the life, and while this can easily be read as a standalone, starting with the first book and witnessing her growth, the changes in her life and family, and her investigative prowess is highly satisfying. One of the key strengths in this series is the characters who easily become your close friends and trust me, you don’t want to miss out on any of their shenanigans.

With Hayley’s dad becoming a suspect in the murder of a gingerbread house contestant—and what could be more awkward than him being the father-in-law to the chief of police?!?—Hayley finds she must get involved and clear his name. Except, she knows next to nothing about him and his past is fraught with run-ins with the law. Could he be the killer, or is someone trying to frame him? I enjoy how Hayley’s best friends pitch in to find clues, along with Hayley’s mother and her close friends. It’s a team effort to track the culprit down. There are several twists I didn’t see coming and suspects galore that kept me guessing. The mystery was well-plotted and with everything going on, the book was fast-paced. I didn’t want to set it down until I’d read to the very end. If you enjoy holiday-themed cozy mysteries with memorable characters and a few chuckles, then I highly recommend this newest release!

Not only does Hayley own and run a restaurant, but she is also writes the Island Food & Spirits newspaper column. She always includes an anecdote plus recipes—for both food and drink—with her column and I greatly enjoy the addition of these every few chapters. Given the gingerbread theme of the book, I just had to try out the recipe for Mom’s Gingerbread. With a generous amount of spices and molasses, this dark, rich  cake captures the flavors of the holiday season perfectly. It makes a large cake to feed a crowd, making it ideal for parties. No matter how you serve it—on its own, or with whipped cream or ice cream—this dessert will be a hit!

Amazon Synopsis

With the holiday season in full swing, food and cocktails columnist and restauranteur Hayley Powell has lots to check off her last-minute to-do list. Not included is the sudden arrival of her father, who hasn’t been in the picture since she believed in Santa Claus. Dwight Jordan’s presence in Bar Harbor might just be the unwanted gift that keeps on giving—especially after he becomes the top suspect in a case of yuletide murder . . .

As Hayley plans a New Year’s Eve bash while handling a hefty helping of family drama, she must lean into her closest friends to unravel a twisted mystery. Because the countdown is on to find out who killed the sore loser at the gingerbread house contest before Dwight disappears again—this time behind bars. And the more Hayley learns about the possible culprits, the more she knows it’s either crack the case ASAP or watch everything crumble like a stale cookie . . .

A special thanks to Lee Hollis for offering a print copy of DEATH OF A GINGERBREAD MAN to one lucky winner! Contest ends September 22, 2024 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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Mom's Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your 13x9-inch baking dish with baking spray.

2. In a stand mixer, mix your eggs, sugar, molasses, spices, oil, and boiling water until well combined. Mix your baking powder into the flour and add a little at a time to the batter mixture until it is all combined.

3. Pour the batter into your greased baking dish and place in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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

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DEATH SCENE is the fourteenth book in the Witch City Mysteries by Carol J. Perry. I was introduced to the characters in this series through the holiday novellas released by the publisher. Intrigued, I decided I need to read the full-length novels. While I probably should have started with the first book (and I have plans to do so and catch up) I jumped at the chance to read this latest release when I saw it on NetGalley. The author does an admirable job in giving just enough backstory throughout the book, so I never felt lost about who the characters were. And the mystery itself is fully contained and can be read as a standalone. I can see why this has been a long-running series with its charming characters and the history of the witch trials steeped in the locale, Salem, Massachusetts. The protagonist, Lee Barrett Mondello, works for the local TV station, WICH-TV, while her husband is a detective. I like their comradery and they way they work together to solve crimes. The addition of Lee’s Aunt Ibby and her gaggle of friends—known as The Angels, a cross between The Golden Girls and Charlie’s Angels—helping to find clues adds to the enjoyment of the book.

With the town’s Halloween hijinks gearing up along with a studio crew in town filming a movie about the witch trials, Lee hands her hands full. The action ratchets up when the leading lady is found murdered and someone seems to be intent on sabotaging the movie. Pulled into the investigation, Lee bounds from mishap to crime scene. The plot is fast-paced and multi-faceted. Given the number of people working on the movie, along with the multitude of townspeople involved, there were many suspects. I had my suspicions about the culprit, but with each new twist, I changed my mind. In the end, as the clues fell into place, the reveal brought everything to light in a highly satisfactory way. And with the conclusion, I can’t wait to find out what comes next for Lee and her crew!

I was delighted to find several recipes at the back of the book, thanks to Lee’s Aunt Ibby’s cooking and baking prowess. I love how food brings their family and friends together frequently! One of the recipes that caught my eye is Aunt Ibby’s Dark as Night Devil’s Food Cake. And, oh goodness, this is absolutely delicious and easy to make since it relies on a boxed cake mix. Personally, I prefer to use cake mixes and doctor them up, which this one does in quite a delicious manner! The coffee lends a depth to the chocolate taste while the mayonnaise adds a richness to the cake. While Aunt Ibby might rely on canned frosting (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!) I’ve included my super quick dark chocolate frosting recipe that uses a food processor. It’s rich and fudgy and yummy enough to eat by the spoonful!

Amazon Synopsis

Between documenting the progress of the movie, corralling starstruck autograph seekers and fans, and managing unmanageable traffic on Salem’s narrow streets, Lee and her police detective husband, Pete Mondello, are beyond busy. Even Lee’s best friend, River North, tarot card reader and practicing witch, gets in on the action, landing a job as a stand-in and body double. But it only takes one interview for Lee to realize that the male and female leads—whose roles include torrid love scenes—despise each other. Yet the problem is short-lived, literally . . .

When the gorgeous lead actress is found dead on a set staged to replicate the room where suspected witches were tried in 1692—and her on-screen lover, in full costume, is discovered sound asleep in her trailer—the hunt is on for a killer on the loose. Nevertheless, the producer decrees “the show must go on!” Now, even with help from River, Lee’s Aunt Ibby, and O’Ryan, a remarkably clairvoyant gentleman cat, sorting out a witch’s brew of secrets, sorcery, and special effects might turn Lee’s documentary into her own final act . . .

A special thanks to Carol J. Perry for offering a signed print copy of DEATH SCENE to one lucky winner and to Kensington Publishing for offering a print copy as well! Contest ends September 1, 2024 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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Aunt Ibby's Dark as Night Devil's Food Cake

Aunt Ibby attributes this recipe to her cousin, Jane Davis.

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce box devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup cold black coffee
• 1 cup regular mayonnaise (not light or no-fat)
• 3 medium eggs (or as directed on cake mix package)
• 2 16-ounce containers of dark chocolate frosting (or your favorite homemade)
• 1/2 12-ounce jar seedless raspberry preserves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray two 9" round pans with nonstick spray.

2. With hand electric mixer, beat cake mix, coffee, mayonnaise, and eggs in a large bowl on low speed for about 30 seconds. Move to medium speed for about 2 minutes.

3. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Tap the pans on counter, then bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

4. Cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully remove cakes to wire racks to completely cool. When cool, place bottom layer on a stand or platter.

5. In a small bowl, stir about one half of a container of frosting until smooth, then add the raspberry preserves and blend. Use this as the filling between the layers. Top with the second layer.

6. Stir the remaining frosting with the second container of frosting until spreadable to cover top layer and sides of cake. (Save leftover frosting, if any, for cupcakes or cookies.)

If you love super rich and creamy homemade chocolate frosting but don’t want to spend much time making it, try out my favorite recipe! By using the food processor, the frosting whips together quickly and is ready to frost your cake quicker than it would be to run to the store and buy a can of frosting.

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Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa (Dutch-processed is preferable)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled until just barely warm

Instructions

1. Add the butter, sugar, cocoa, and sea salt to the bowl of food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Process for 30 seconds until mixture is smooth.

2. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process 10 seconds to combine. Add the cooled melted chocolate and pulse a few times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process 10 seconds until mixture is creamy.

3. Use the frosting within 3 hours. If making in advance, transfer the frosting to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Bring to room temperature for at least an hour before using.

4. Refrigerate leftover frosted cake.

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