It’s always a pleasure revisiting the town of Cranberry Cove from Peg Cochran’s Cranberry Cove Mystery series! The newest release, DEAD AND BERRIED grabbed my attention from the very first page with its tightly written riveting plot and colorful characters. The heavily Dutch populated town of Cranberry Cove is preparing for Vlaggetjesdag Celebration…Netherland’s Flag Day. I enjoyed the tidbits of information the author provides about Dutch food and customs, along with how they celebrate their holiday. The setting of the Sassamanash Cranberry Farm is eye-opening. The author’s descriptions had me feeling like I was right there. I loved the words she used to paint the picture of seeing the cranberries in bloom, with their delicate pink blossoms. It makes me want to see them for myself! She also brings to life the hard work being a cranberry farmer. The reader learns, right along with protagonist Monica Albertson, some of the things required to produce a successful crop, such as renting bees to pollinate. Peg weaves into the story the plight of the Honeybee due to pesticides, loss of habitats, disease and climate change.

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When another murder happens on Sassamansh Farm, the cranberry farm Monica Albertson’s brother owns, Monica’s determination to find the truth is put to the test. Especially when her employee’s husband, beekeeper Rick becomes the suspect. The victim, Lori, was Rick’s assistant, and as Monica starts asking questions around town, she finds that Lori had made a lot of enemies, including her own boss. There are plenty of suspects and I didn’t see the surprising, suspenseful ending coming! There are also subplots that Monica finds herself involved in. I had to chuckle out loud when she’s horrified to find out the town has a betting pool going on when she’s going to get engaged. But that’s part of the charm of a small town setting…everyone knows everyone else’s business. The author also touches on the heartbreaking situation of elderly people, especially those with dementia, being taken advantage of. This subplot was artfully woven into the plot while bringing to light something that happens much more frequently than we think.

I love browsing through the many cranberry recipes Peg Cochran includes at the back of the book. I want to try them all! In the end I chose to make Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies… an amazing combination of flavors and textures! Semisweet chocolate enhances ruby red tart cranberries, while the crunch of walnuts rounds out the texture of the soft and chewy cookies. I sent a large container of these cookies with my husband and his friends while on a golf trip. He said they disappeared in record time, even though we both thought I had sent more than enough! I’ll be making these again, soon!

Amazon Synopsis

It’s June in Cranberry Cove and Monica Albertson’s plan to sell cranberry relish to chain stores is taking off. The cranberry bogs are in bloom, and local beekeeper Rick Taylor and his assistant Lori Wenk are bringing in bees to pollinate the blossoms.  When a fatal prick fells Lori, the buzz is that Rick is to blame. 

In trying to clear her friend’s name, Monica discovers that more than a few people in Cranberry Cove have felt the power of Lori’s venom, and it looks as if this time she may have agitated the hive a bit too much.  With the fate of the farm on the line, Monica must get to the bottom of the crime before another victim gets stung. 

A huge thank you to Peg Cochran for providing a signed copy of DEAD AND BERRIED for one winner. Contest ends Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. 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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I was provided an advanced copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TOWN IN A MAPLE MADNESS, the eighth book in the Candy Holliday Murder Mystery series by B.B. Haywood, starts off with a bang from the very first page! The author sets the stage, pulling you in, keeping you guessing and turning pages throughout the entire book. The protagonist, Candy Holliday, works part-time for the newspaper in Cape Willington, Maine. She also helps her father, Doc, with their blueberry farm when it’s in season, and helps other farmers in the area during their particular seasonal crop. The town is preparing for a new annual celebration, Maple Madness weekend, to be held in conjunction with the state’s Maine Maple Sunday… and yes, I researched and found out Maine really does hold a Maple Sunday celebration! Cape Willington will be holding demonstrations on how sugar maple sap becomes maple syrup along with many ways to use and eat maple syrup. I was astounded at the variety of food the author weaves into the book and I enjoyed the tidbits of information surrounding the maple syrup small farm industry sprinkled throughout the book. 

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The setting of Cape Willington is a quaint, close-knit town with a history of a long-standing feud between the two wealthiest families who settled the area. There is a mystery surrounding this feud with the thread running through the entire series, however, the books can all be read on their own without the reader getting lost. Being a Southern California gal, my mouth dropped open when I read that Candy thinks it’s almost balmy in late March as spring is arriving… and it’s only a touch above 40 degrees! I have come to the firm conclusion that it takes a hardy person to live and thrive in Maine, especially during winter and early spring. Between the low temperatures and the icy mucky mud the residents have to endure, I have a new found appreciation for people who choose to live there.

However, on the positive side, the residents do get to indulge in fresh maple syrup each season. B.B. Haywood provides plenty of recipes at the back of the book for using pure maple syrup and they all sound fabulous! Being a huge fan of cookies, I chose to make Melody’s Cafe’s Maple Drop Cookies. A generous amount of maple syrup along with maple extract provide the recognizable flavor to these cake-like cookies. I always have a stash of maple sugar in my pantry and sprinkled some on top of the cookies just before baking for added maple sweetness. This recipe makes a lot of small, bite-sized cookies, which are sure to bring a smile to all those you share with! 

Amazon Synopsis

The imminent arrival of spring has the locals gearing up for their sweetest celebration ever—the first annual Maple Madness Weekend. Along with maple sugar house tours, a community-wide marshmallow roast, and a weekend-long pancake breakfast, restaurants will be serving up special maple syrup dishes. But the weekend festivities are put in jeopardy when things start to get sticky…
 
One of Candy’s friends is accused of stealing sap from a rival’s sugar maple trees, and landscaper Mick Rilke is found dead, floating down the river wrapped up in a fisherman’s net. As Candy taps into Mick’s life, his unsavory side comes to light, as well as a possible connection to both crimes. Now it’s up to Candy to follow the flow of suspects to a cold-blooded killer…

A huge thank you to B.B. Haywood for providing a print copy of TOWN IN A MAPLE MADNESS to one winner. Limited to U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. 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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I had the pleasure of being able to read an early copy of PEKOE MOST POISON, the eighteenth book in the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs! For some unexplained reason, that I seriously need to remedy, this is the first book of this series that I’ve read…and I found I’ve been missing out! The good news is I won’t be short of pleasurable reading for a long time while I catch up. 

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Theodosia Browning owns the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. Her very good friend, sixty-plus-year-old Drayton Conneley, is her tea sommelier and sidekick. They make a great team and I enjoyed their friendly banter and the way they interacted and cared for each other. Drayton invites Theodosia to attend a ‘Rat Tea’ at the Calhoun Mansion. I found the historical tidbits the author includes on why Charleston society holds Rat Teas, complete with the waitstaff wearing rat costumes, to be intriguing and a bit creepy. She gives the reader a glimpse into a genteel tea party…until the story starts off with a bang and the host drops dead right in front of Theodosia, murdered by poison. The plot continues at a fast pace and I was kept both entertained and guessing as clues were placed throughout the story.

Drayton is ‘blackmailed’ by the widow, who threatens to withhold a large financial grant for his Heritage Society, unless he convinces Theodosia to find the real killer. Theodosia is miffed about the widow using ‘blackmail’ but realizes that she is inherently curious and would be asking questions anyway. I liked that the protagonist is a fix it type of person. When anyone has a problem, they come to her for help in finding resolutions to their sticky issues. She provides assistance from the generosity of her heart and not for financial gain. Theodosia is a very caring person yet manages to retain a sassy attitude. I chuckled out loud as she calls a disagreeable publicist the “Wicked Witch of the West on a nuclear-powered broomstick”! Laura paints vivid pictures using words to describe people and scenes, making the reader feel like they are right there.

Indigo Tea Shop serves all sorts of delectable treats and tea. Fortunately, Laura Childs includes many recipes and tea party tips at the back of the book. She has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I’ve eaten these cookies numerous times before but I have never made them myself! They are much easier to make than I thought they would be and the combination of peanut butter and chocolate are a long time favorite. The cookie itself is slightly crispy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside. This recipe is definitely a keeper in my household! 

Amazon Synopsis

In the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs, Theodosia Browning attends a “Rat Tea,” where the mice will play…at murder.
 
When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston’s most prominent hostesses, to a “Rat Tea,” she is understandably intrigued.  As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early twentieth-century Charleston, where the cream of society would sponsor so-called rat teas to promote city rodent control and better public health.
 
But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen’s entrepreneur husband suddenly goes into convulsions and drops dead. Has his favorite orange pekoe tea been poisoned? Theo smells a rat.
 
The distraught Doreen soon engages Theo to pursue a discreet inquiry into who might have murdered her husband. As Theo and her tea sommelier review the guest list for suspects, they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse…

A very special thank you to Laura Childs for providing a signed hardcover copy of PEKOE MOST POISON for one lucky winner! Contest ends Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST, and limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter 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!)

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I love anything to do with whales! I find them to be majestic, a bit mysterious, creatures that captivate my imagination. I had the lovely good fortune to be in Hawaii one early March during the whales migration and experience a whale breaching at least 30 times within a 20 minute period! Since I am highly susceptible to motion sickness I avoid boats but this whale came close to shore and we could watch from firm ground. It was magnificent and a truly unforgettable experience!

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I was delighted to pick up the new release, WHALE OF A CRIME, the seventh book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series by Karen MacInerney. I’ve been a long time fan of this series, and while I haven’t read every single one (they’re on my Kindle waiting for me!) each book is easily read as a standalone. Karen includes heart-tugging scenes regarding the plight of whales and I appreciate how she wove facts about these magnificent mammals into her story. The protagonist, Natalie Barnes, is a personable young woman and as owner of the Gray Whale Inn, finds herself surrounded by colorful characters that add to the appeal of this series. She has a sweet relationship with her niece, Gwen, and I enjoyed seeing their interaction. When Gwen’s mother (and Natalie’s sister) shows up, the fireworks start with the contentious relationship. It adds drama to the story, without detracting from the plot, and had me hoping for a reconciliation. The author deftly wove this subplot into the grand finale with satisfying results.

The mystery itself kept me guessing and I so enjoyed the multi-layered subplots. Between a murder, an old crime of a stolen tiara, someone sabotaging Natalie’s inn, an abandoned kitten, and a whale in distress, the book was never slow. I had a hard time putting it down when it was time to attend to other commitments. Be prepared to be hungry while reading this book as both Natalie and her husband, John, are great cooks! Fortunately, Karen includes numerous recipes at the back of the book, and they all sound fabulous. Karen was gracious enough to allow me to share her recipe for Oatmeal Raspberry Crumble Bars. Oh my, this is one of those treats that I really didn’t want to share with anyone else. Super easy to make, I adapted it to make it both gluten-free and dairy-free so I could share with my husband and my granddaughter’s therapist. See, I did share after all! These delectable bars are melt-in-your-mouth yummy with the sweet tang of raspberry jam and I will certainly be making this again soon!

Amazon Synopsis

When a tour company books the Gray Whale Inn for a full week, innkeeper Natalie Barnes can’t wait to get cooking — and to hitch a ride on the antique schooner Summer Winds, getting up close and personal with the local whales. But when one of the humpback whales turns up dragging a mass of fishing gear from its tail, the tour takes a dark turn. It turns darker still when the schooner’s handsome captain winds up attached to the vessel’s anchor, sixty feet underwater… and not by accident. Before long, the tour naturalist (and Natalie’s best friend’s beau) is behind bars, charged with a murder Charlene swears he didn’t commit. Stir in a surprise visit from Natalie’s quarrelsome sister, midnight kitchen sabotage, a sick orphan kitten, and a mysterious investor with plans for a massive resort on the quaint island, and Natalie’s got a recipe for potential disaster. When a second body turns up just outside the inn, the heat is on Natalie to solve the double murder… or risk ending up with her own goose cooked.

A special thank you to Karen MacInerney for providing an e-book copy of WHALE OF A CRIME for one lucky winner! Contest ends Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter 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!)

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As Christmas draws closer I enjoy reading inspirational themed stories in addition to cozy mysteries. SILVER BELLS AT MOONGLOW, by Deborah Garner, is a sweet Christmas themed treat which weaves a beautiful mosaic of Christmas sights, sounds, and smells and introduces us to memorable characters. The protagonist, Mist, has a calming magical influence on those she comes in contact with and I’ll be the first to admit, her magic worked on me as I read this story during this most hectic season of the year. I so enjoyed sitting down with a hot cup of honey-sweetened tea, wrapping myself in a cozy comforter, and losing myself in the world of Timberton Hotel in snowy Montana. Deborah has a gift of transporting the reader through eloquent descriptions be it of the delicious baking, the Christmas ornaments, or Mist’s miniature paintings. I was left with the comforting feeling that this really is the most wonderful season of all!

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The Timberton Hotel hosts an annual cookie exchange and Deborah has included 22 recipes in her book! I am very excited that she used THREE of my own recipes, but I’m anxious to try them all! So many cookies…so little time… I’m sharing my recipe for Cranberry Orange Cookies since they add a very colorful and festive look to cookie platters and dessert tables. But don’t worry, not only are they pretty they are deliciously flavorful too! Jewel-toned dried cranberries and orange juice add holiday flavors to this cake-like cookie which has been rolled in sparkling white and red sugars, adding another level of texture and visual appeal. They mix up quickly using a food processor and the dough can be kept refrigerated (or frozen) until you are ready to bake. I hope you enjoy these as much as my friends and family have!

Amazon Synopsis

Christmas at the Timberton Hotel arrives each year with a unique set of guests, some returning, some new. When this holiday brings a celebrity seeking reprieve, sisters who are distant yet closer to each other than they think, a widow approaching a new horizon, and an eclectic smattering of local townsfolk and visiting relatives, the season is certain to be eventful. Add in a hint of romance and there’s more than snow in the air around the small Montana town.

Elegant decor and exquisite cuisine from resident artist and chef, Mist, form a backdrop to much needed camaraderie, bringing strangers and friends together. When the last note of Christmas carols has faded away, the soft whisper of silver bells from the front door’s wreath will usher guests and townsfolk alike back into the world with hope for the coming year.

A huge thank you to Deborah Garner for providing winner’s choice of either an e-book or print copy of SILVER BELLS AT MOONGLOW for one lucky winner! Print copy limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter 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!)

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