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PEPPERMINT BARKED is the long anticipated sixth book in the Spice Shop Mysteries by Leslie Budewitz. With its festive cover, the reader is enticed into settling in, with a mug of hot cocoa, and enjoying the spirit of the holidays. The tempting descriptions of protagonist Pepper Reece’s Spice Shop and the surrounding shops in Seattle’s Pike Place Market delighted my senses. The author makes each scene come alive as the market gears up for the themed “A Dickens of a Christmas” celebration from decorations to costumed carolers to gaily wrapped packages. I especially love Pepper’s shop, with the fragrance of spices and the friendly, close-knit employees. Ms. Budewitz has done an admirable job in creating characters a reader can connect with and care about. It’s been a pleasure watching them change and grow over the course of the series

Except, everything’s not all sugar and spice for Pepper and her employees when a neighboring shop assistant is brutally attacked and left for dead. You can always count on Ms. Budewitz to create intricate and well-plotted mysteries, and Peppermint Barked is no exception. Not only are there suspects galore, but the reader is left to guess—just like Pepper—if the young woman was even the intended victim. This adds another layer to peel back in the quest to find the truth. As Pepper makes her way through the market talking to shop owners and picking up gossip, half-truths and secrets are discovered. Fitting the clues together will test the armchair detective’s skills and, as I headed toward the suspenseful conclusion, I found myself turning pages faster and faster. With a tidy wrap up of the plot threads running through the story, there’s a hint of future changes to come… and I can’t wait to find out what’s next!

Running a spice shop, Pepper immerses herself in food throughout the book, so be prepared to be hungry for Christmas goodies while you read. And, as usual, you can count on Ms. Budewitz sharing several mouthwatering recipes at the back of the book for the home cook to try out. It was difficult to pick out just one to try but, if you’ve followed my blog for long, you’ll know I love cookies… especially Christmas cookies. And nothing is more festive than peppermint-flavored Candy Cane Cookies! The colorful twists of the peppermint and red cookie will add a delicious and jolly look to your holiday cookie platter, or use them to decorate your organic Christmas tree!

Amazon Synopsis

As the holiday season lights up Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market, Pepper Reece’s beloved Spice Shop is brimming with cinnamon, nutmeg, and shoppers eager to stuff their stockings. Add to the mix a tasty staff competition—a peppermint bark-off—along with Victorian costumes for this year’s Dickensian Christmas theme, and Pepper almost forgets to be nervous about meeting her fisherman boyfriend’s brother for the first time.

But when a young woman working in her friend Vinny’s wine shop is brutally assaulted, costumed revelers and holiday cheer are the last things on Pepper’s mind. Who would want to hurt Beth? Or were they looking for Vinny instead?

The vicious attack upsets everyone at Pike Place, but none more than Pepper’s own employee, Matt Kemp. At first, Pepper is baffled by his reaction, but his clandestine connection to Beth could hold the key to the assailant’s motive. Or perhaps it’s Vinny’s ex-wife who knows more than she’s letting on . . . and what about the mysterious top-hatted man with whom Pepper saw Beth arguing that morning?

As the secrets of the market come to light, long-held grudges, family ties, and hidden plans only further obscure the truth. Is it a ghost of the past rattling its chains, or a contemporary Scrooge with more earthly motives? As Pepper chases down a killer, someone is chasing her, and in the end, the storied market itself may hold the final, deadly clue.

A special thanks to Leslie Budewitz for providing a print copy of PEPPERMINT BARKED. Contest ends July 27, 2022 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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Candy Cane Cookies

Food and memory are closely intertwined, especially at the holidays. Stoic Matt gets a little weepy as he remembers making these with his mother, who hung a few on the tree--and pretended to be surprised when they disappeared!

Makes 4 dozen.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Peppermint Glaze (optional)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Using your mixer, beat the butter until softened. Add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.

2. Add the egg, vanilla, and peppermint, and beat well.

3. Add flour and salt and mix thoroughly.

4. Divide dough in half and mix food coloring into one half. Shape each half into balls, cover, and chill about 30 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

6. Roll the plain dough, about a teaspoonful at a time, into a 4-inch rope. Repeat with the red dough. Place a plain and a red rope side by side and twist together, then pinch the ends to seal. Shape twisted ropes into canes and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

7. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until done; bottoms of the cookies will be lightly browned. Remove and cool and on a wire rack.

For the glaze:

1. Mix the powdered sugar, peppermint, and enough water to make a think glaze; brush on cooled cookies.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes:

1. Since I made these during the hot summer, I found the dough needed to be kept refrigerated and removed a bit at a time to work with. After forming the candy cane cookies and placing them on baking sheets, I chilled for ten minutes before baking as directed.

2. I used scraps of the leftover cookie dough to marble together then formed candy cane cookies.

3. The glaze adds another delicious layer of peppermint flavor, however it does partially cover up the vivid red color of the cookie. You can brush the underside of the cookies with the glaze and leave the tops intact, or pipe thickened glaze in decorative patterns on top of the cookie.

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A HINT OF MISCHIEF is the third book in the Fairy Garden Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber. This charming and magical tale combines the best of cozy mysteries: a well-plotted murder, delightful characters, and an inviting setting. And I can’t overlook the cover… it’s magic all on its own. With a wide cast of characters, both human and fairy alike, the author thoughtfully provides a list at the front of the book for easy reference. But despite the number, Ms. Gerber does an admirable job with unique descriptions and the ability to make each character come to life on the pages. I also like how she opens each chapter with a literary quote about a fairy—who knew there were so many mentions out there?! The protagonist, Courtney Kelly, is owner of the adorable shop, Open Your Imagination, in Carmel-by-the-Sea in coastal California. The garden shop specializing in creating fairy gardens gives Courtney plenty of opportunities to teach customers how to craft their own fairy gardens, which readers can replicate at home. And stealing each scene she inhabits is Courtney’s adorable fairy, Fiona. Ms. Gerber’s detailed description of Fiona and all her fairy folk, brings magic to the pages and makes it entirely believable that fairies do exist.

While all the charming characters and the fairy garden shop might seem to make the reader forget that this is a murder mystery, the author starts the action from the very first page, which sets the pace for the book. She does an admirable job of weaving everyday work and play into the untimely death of a celebrity in town, who came to celebrate an old friend’s birthday. With the large gathering of sorority sisters for the birthday, there are plenty of suspects to go around. Except, fingers point toward a local young woman with a troubled past, who the celebrity gets into an altercation with. Courtney and Fiona jump into the investigation, intent on finding the real killer. Ms. Gerber expertly doles the clues out and leads the reader on a chase to find the truth. Courtney, at times, can be a bit overly forward in delving into the truth, but her tenacity is rewarded. Fiona is more actively involved in the investigation this time, which adds to the overall appeal and I’m happy to know that another Fairy Garden Mystery is in the works!

This might be a fairy garden book, but there are still plenty of mouthwatering dishes being served at the garden tea, at the birthday party, and at Courtney’s boyfriend’s restaurant. If you’ve read any of Ms. Gerber’s other books, you’ll know that she is an excellent cook and provides almost mini cookbooks with each mystery. A Hint of Mischief is no different with plenty of yummy recipes to choose from. I couldn’t help but want to make the recipe for Chocolate Crinkles. Sweet from the sugar included in the dough and then rolled into both granulated and powdered sugar before baking, these cookies are heavenly. The crisp edges and the chocolate fudgy texture make these cookies almost impossible to limit to eating only one or two.

Amazon Synopsis

Courtney has thrown a few fairy garden parties—for kids. But if a local socialite is willing to dip into her trust fund for an old sorority sister’s fortieth birthday bash, Courtney will be there with bells on. To make the job even more appealing, a famous actress, Farrah Lawson, is flying in for the occasion, and there’s nothing like a celebrity cameo to raise a business’s profile.

Now Courtney has less than two weeks to paint a mural, hang up tinkling windchimes, plan party games, and conjure up all the details. While she works her magic, the hostess and her girlfriends head off for an indulgent spa day—which leads to a fateful facial for Farrah, followed by her mysterious death. Could the kindhearted eyebrow waxer who Farrah berated in public really be the killer, as the police suspect? Courtney thinks otherwise, and with the help of her imaginative sleuth fairy, sets out to dig up the truth behind this puzzling murder . . .

A special thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber for providing a print copy of  A HINT OF MISCHIEF. Contest ends July 3, 2022 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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Chocolate Crinkles

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 8 ounces melted butter
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup extra granulated sugar, for rolling
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix butter, chocolate, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Blend in the eggs and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well.

4. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, about 1 tablespoon. You might need to moisten your fingers.

5. Pour extra granulated sugar into a pie tin. Pour powdered sugar into a separate pie tin. Coat each ball with granulated sugar and then with powdered sugar. Place balls about 2 inches apart on the parchment paper.

6. Bake 10 - 12 minutes. These will look slightly gooey in the "cracks" when removed from the oven. That's fine. Do not overbake.

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SIMMERING WITH RESENTMENT is the eleventh book in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. I’ve been a longtime fan of this series and I was so excited that it appeared protagonist Jenna Hart’s upcoming nuptials to Rhett Baxter were finally going to take place. Adding to the wedding festivities, as she counts down the day to walking down the aisle, is the town’s bridal expo where brides and those dreaming of the big day flock to Crystal Cove to take part. But all doesn’t go according to plan when an explosion at Rhett’s restaurant puts him in the hospital and Jenna narrowly escapes injury herself. Will they ever have the chance to say their vows when it appears someone might be targeting them both? Ms. Gerber’s storytelling prowess pulled me in from the very start and kept me glued to the pages. One of the strengths of this series is the growth of characters over the course of books, and this newest release adds to it.

With Jenna having an invested interest in finding out who might have wanted to kill her and Rhett, she begins poking around and asking questions. Certain she’s found the culprit who had reasons to exact revenge, her theory vanishes as another explosion kills her suspect. The author’s story has twists and turns that kept me guessing, erroneously, about not only who the culprit could be but why. With a suspenseful reveal, the threads came together with a layer of tragic emotion woven in. Thankfully, Ms. Gerber doesn’t end there but continues with a couple heartwarming chapters that leaves the reader looking forward to catching up with Jenna and her pals in the next book!

Daryl Wood Gerber expertly captures the culinary cozy mystery genre in more ways than one. Not only are there mouthwatering descriptions of a large variety of dishes and desserts mentioned throughout the story, but with Jenna as the owner of the Cookbook Nook, a culinary bookshop, there are several delightful mentions of actual cookbooks. I honestly have a difficult time restraining myself from purchasing all the cookbooks she mentions… they all sound fabulous! And then there are the actual recipes Ms. Gerber includes at the back of the book. It’s almost like getting a mini cookbook and each recipe sounds delicious! With a wedding-themed book, it was hard to pass up the opportunity to try Katie’s Wedding Cookies. I found them easy to mix up and the mild, crunchy cashews complements the flaky cookie base. The cookie itself isn’t overly sweet, so the extra coating of confectioners’ sugar provides the perfect balance. These are so yummy, I won’t be waiting for a wedding to make them again and again!

Amazon Synopsis

With Bride’s Dream Expo in town, it’s all things wedding in Crystal Cove, including at the Cookbook Nook, where owner Jenna Hart is preparing for her own wedding in just a few short weeks. But there’s a dark cloud hanging over the festive mood by the name of Sarita Strachline, a woman Jenna helped convict of arson who is now out of jail and bent on revenge. And when Jenna and Rhett’s intimate prenuptial dinner is rocked by an explosion that nearly takes Rhett’s life, Jenna can’t help but think Sarita is to blame.

Desperate to prove Sarita’s guilt but consumed by worries over Rhett’s condition, Jenna reluctantly lays her case out for the police and leaves the investigation in their methodical hands. Still, she can’t help piecing together the clues, and as the evidence begins to mount, Jenna realizes that revenge may be a dish best served cold, but she can cook up a scheme of her own to bring the culprit to justice—she just has to hope it doesn’t blow up in her face . . .

A special thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber for providing a print copy of  SIMMERING WITH RESENTMENT. Contest ends May 3, 2022 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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Katie's Wedding Cookies

(Yield: 30 - 36 cookies)

From Katie: These are one of my favorite cookies. They're so easy to make, and they look so elegant on a platter because of the dusting of confectioners' sugar. Make sure you have plenty on hand. They go quickly.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped cashews, chopped into very small pieces
• Add water if necessary

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees (F). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla.

3. At low speed, gradually add in the flour and cinnamon.

4. To chop the nuts, I used my food processor. You can also use a "whackah-whackah" (manual food chopper) or you can put them in a baggie and smash them with a meat tenderizer hammer.

5. Mix the nuts into the cookie dough with a spatula.

6. For each cookie, use about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape it into a crescent. Dust hands with flour, if necessary, as you make more cookies.

7. Place cookies onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes.

8. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, but still warm, roll the cookies in additional confectioners' sugar to coat.

9. Cool entirely before eating. Store in an airtight container.

Chef's Notes:

1. If you want, you may substitute your favorite nut for the cashews.

2. If you're not a cinnamon fan, remove it or switch it out with nutmeg.

3. If you'd like to make these gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with sweet rice flour and add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to the mixture.

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A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mysteries by Nancy Coco. While it’s the first book I’ve read in the series (much to my chagrin) I easily picked up the necessary backstory and characters without feeling lost. I’ll be reading the first book right away to catch up with the charming protagonist, Wren Johnson, and her delightful Let It Bee shop set along the Oregon coast. Ms. Coco uses the educational backdrop of the plight of honey bees and what their destruction can do to our environment and food sources, for the murder mystery. I adored that Wren’s shop has a glass-walled working bee hive to educate visitors. I had the opportunity to see one on vacation long ago and was fascinated by the industrious bees. Wren is heartbroken when she arrives at a local farm to find the beekeeper murdered and several of his hives vandalized. The author’s descriptive voice brought the sound of the angry, swarming bees and the panic of those trying to rescue the downed man to life. Her attention to detail made me feel like I was right there throughout the story.

When another local beekeeper, and a friend of Wren’s, becomes the main suspect, she can’t help but try to find the culprits who have been destroying hives up and down the Oregon coast. Her investigation brings her into contact with quirky characters attending the annual UFO festival, to conspiracy theorists, and Bigfoot enthusiasts, providing a swarm of suspects. Ms. Coco also introduces the most unique of crimes, which is both eye-opening and thought-provoking for our modern times. It is obvious she’s done her research and she expertly weaves it into the tightly plotted mystery, right through to the edge-of-your-seat reveal.

In addition to a complex, well-written mystery, the author has created a cast of characters that will bring readers back for each new book. Wren is one of those people who I’d like to become friends with, and spend hours in her shop trying all of her products. Wren’s Havana brown cat, Everett, and her quirky Aunt Eloise, bring some lighthearted humor to the story as well as a sounding board for her investigation. Her good friend and employee, Porsche, is a great sidekick, and I admired the way she juggles being a mother to two young sons, working at Let It Bee, and helping in the investigation.

I was delighted to find that not only are there honey-based recipes sprinkled throughout the book, but there are also tips using honey for a variety of beauty and health conditions. I marked a few that I’ll be trying out. I was also drawn to her recipe for Honey Peanut Butter Cookies. Using half honey and half sugar for the sweetness, these tasty cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. In my family, it’s the perfect combination!

Amazon Synopsis

When a bee wrangler is bludgeoned, Let It Bee honey shop owner Wren Johnson makes it her beeswax to solve the crime . . .

For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon Coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival. As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on their Havana brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.

But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees. The bees didn’t kill him, a blow to the head did. As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the town is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler’s killer is to set up a sting.

A special thanks to Nancy Coco for providing a print copy of  A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH. Contest ends April 17, 2022 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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Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar for topping

Instructions

1. For a soft cookie, preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, honey, and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until combined.

3. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well-combined.

4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between. Place a fork, tines flat, in the sugar and then make cross hatch marks on each cookie, dipping the fork in sugar before each cross so the dough doesn't stick to it.

5. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes. Look for a golden-brown cookie that is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Remove from the cookie sheet and let cool.

6. Enjoy!

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BATTER OFF DEAD is the tenth book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day. While this can be read as a standalone, I’ve found it to be a delightful journey following protagonist Robbie Jordan’s character development over the course of the series. And Ms. Day has done an outstanding job in keeping the characters fresh and appealing. In this new release, Robbie is newly married and settling into life with her husband, Abe. I enjoyed getting to see more interaction between the couple this time around. Another core character, whose backstory has been mysterious thus far, is police lieutenant Buck Bird. I was happy to see him take more of a co-starring role in Batter Off Dead, and find out more about his life and his family. The author does an admirable job in weaving Buck’s past into the current day mystery. Set in the small town of South Lick, Indiana, Ms. Day captures the colloquialisms of the residents giving the reader a feel for the area. Her strong descriptive voice helps the reader feel like they’re right alongside Robbie, from friends gathering together, to the wicked heat, to the delicious food served at Robbie’s café.

With a murder set against the backdrop of exploding fireworks, a senior citizen is murdered right amongst her friends. Buck’s blind father sat right next to the victim, who was killed in the same manner as Buck’s mother when he was a kid. Could someone be targeting the seniors? Does someone have a vendetta against Buck’s family? Robbie delves into asking questions and trying to bring comfort to Buck as the past is dredged up. One of the things I like about the Country Store mysteries is that Robbie is a working woman with a strong work ethic. While she gets involved in investigating, her café takes center stage and she doesn’t shirk her duties or her customers. As a result, Robbie is often frazzled by the end of the day but it gives the story a realistic feel. As she finds threads to the clues she seeks, it becomes apparent that the past is connected to the current day murder. Robbie’s tenacious quest for answers and for justice lead to a suspenseful and heart wrenching reveal. But rest assured, Ms. Day leaves the reader with a warm feeling as she hints at what might be in store for Robbie in future books.

Running the Country Store Café, Robbie serves up all types of mouthwatering dishes to her customers. Even Robbie contracts out the baking of café desserts to her good friend, Phil, she knows they are delicious and well-received by everyone. I was intrigued by Ms. Day’s recipe included at the back of the book for Yankerdoodles and even more interested upon learning that the cookie recipe belonged to the author’s Hoosier sister, Barbara Bergendorf. Basically snickerdoodles, the addition of colorful, patriotic sprinkles earns them the name of Yankerdoodles. With the addition of brown sugar to provide a deeper flavor, these soft, childhood favorite cookies will bring back wonderful memories and create new memories with your own family.

Amazon Synopsis

Robbie and her new husband Abe O’Neill are enjoying a summer evening in the park with fellow townsfolk excited for some Friday night fireworks. In attendance are senior residents from Jupiter Springs Assisted Living including Roy Bird, father to South Lick’s very own Police Lieutenant Buck Bird. Despite his blindness, Roy is a member of his group home’s knitting circle, spending quality time with some lovely ladies.

But when the lightshow ends, one of the knitters who sat with Roy is found dead, a puncture wound in her neck. The poor woman’s death echoes that of Buck’s mother and Roy’s wife—an unsolved homicide. To help find the killer, Robbie’s going to have to untangle the knotty relationships deep in the victim’s past . . .

A special thanks to Maddie Day for providing a winner with a print copy of BATTER OFF DEAD. Contest ends February 23, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. 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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Yankerdoodles

Robbie serves these delicious cookies at the Fourth of July get-together before the book opens and then Phil brings in another batch. This recipe was adapted with permission from the author's Hoosier sister, Barbara Bergendorf, who sells her popular snickerdoodle cookies in the greater Lafayette area. (Please contact Maddie via her website if you want to find out where to purchase these treats.)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter at room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• Cinnamon and sugar
• Red and blue sprinkles

Instructions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Mix soda and salt into the flour, then add the flour mixture at a low speed until blended.

4. Chill dough for thirty to sixty minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

6. Form spoonfuls of dough into one-inch-diameter balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar mix.

7. Flatten with a fork and add blue and red sprinkles.

8. Bake at 350 degrees (F) about 10 minutes or until just barely tan.

9. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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I’m delighted to be participating in the Great Escapes Book Tours introducing A DASH OF DEATH! This first book in the brand-new Cocktails and Catering Mystery series by Michelle Hillen Klump is off to a good start. With a unique twist in the culinary cozy mystery genre, protagonist, ex-reporter Samantha Warren, concocts homemade cocktail bitters, a delightful addition to a deliciously entertaining story. There are mouthwatering descriptions and cocktails mentioned throughout to make the reader feel warm and comforted as the well-plotted mystery unfolds. I enjoyed the set up with Samantha roped into working at a historical homes tour event on what should have been the evening of her wedding. Jilted by her fiancé only three weeks earlier, on top of losing her newspaper journalist position nine months before that, Samantha has a lot of life changes to overcome. She’s a sympathetic character given all that she’s had to endure. Then things go from bad to worse when someone becomes ill and then dies after consuming one of her cocktails at the event. Ms. Klump writes with a descriptive voice that makes the action and details come to life. I could hear the ice clattering in the cocktail shakers, smell the tang of lemon peels, and taste the sweet bite of cherry mixed with gin.

Given it was her cocktail that might have killed the guest, Samantha becomes a suspect. It doesn’t take long for the victim’s ex-wife to serve her with a lawsuit. With a background in reporting for the newspaper, Samantha knows she needs to start digging into who had motive and means to commit murder and does so in a more energetic way than the usual amateur sleuth. But the results pay off and she ends up with several possibilities with the hope that the police will focus on them instead. As she uncovers secrets, Samantha joins forces with an unlikely partner which provides some twists and turns. With an edge-of-your-seat reveal that I didn’t see coming, the author wraps up the threads of the story and subplots neatly. There’s a hint at new beginnings for Samantha and I look forward to seeing what’s coming next!

Between bitters, cocktails, and yummy food mentioned throughout, be prepared to be both hungry and thirsty as you read. Ms. Klump has kindly included several recipes at the back of the book. Not only are there cocktail recipes, but she’s included a recipe for Beth’s Homemade Gingersnap Cookies. With plenty of warming spices to make taste buds sing, these gingersnap cookies are crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the middle… perfection! And as my granddaughter put it, downright dangerous if there’s an unattended plate of these sitting on the counter!

Amazon Synopsis

Bad news for Samantha Warren: The plucky Houston, Texas, reporter lost her job and her fiancé in rapid succession. But Sam has a way of making lemonade out of the bitterest of lemons. At a meeting of the local historical-homes council, she serves up the homemade bitters that she made as gifts for her wedding party. She intends to use that as her “in” to become an in-demand party mixologist. But the party’s over for one of the council members, who keels over dead soon after he sips the bereft bride’s bitter brew.

It turns out that the victim, Mark, was poisoned—his drink spiked with oleander. Since Sam mixed the drink that Mark imbibed right before his demise, she finds herself at the front of the suspect line. Now, she’ll have to use all of her reporter’s wisdom and wiles to clear her name.

Who could have wanted Mark dead? His wife, Gabby? His girlfriend, Darcy? Someone who wanted his seat on the council? Or another citizen of this sweet Texas town that holds some seedy secrets?

Job hunting, building her mixology business, and fending off late-night phone calls from her nearly betrothed don’t leave much time for sleuthing. But if Sam can’t “pour” over the clues to find the killer, it may soon be last call for her.

A special thanks to Michelle Hillen Klump for providing one winner with a print Copy of A Dash of Death (A Cocktails and Catering Mystery) as well as A Berg & Hauck’s Bitters Kit! Contest ends February 21, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter 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!)

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Beth’s Homemade Gingersnap Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• Cinnamon sugar for rolling (3 tablespoons white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed together)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. With a mixer, blend together butter and shortening for one to two minutes or until creamy.
4. Add sugars and continue mixing. Beat in egg and molasses until well incorporated.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts to the butter mixture, until a soft dough forms.

6. Roll dough into 1-inch-diameter balls and coat them in cinnamon sugar before placing them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until tops of cookies are slightly crinkled.

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