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FIREWORK FIASCO, the 29th book in the Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery series, by Kathi Daley starts out with a bang, living up to its title, and left me with my mouth hanging wide open! I think this is the best book in the series so far, and that’s saying something because all of Ms. Daley’s books are enjoyable. Zoe Donovan Zimmerman is as kindhearted as protagonists come. While most people try to avoid her husband’s grandmother, Nona, Zoe embraces the pink Harley driving, whiskey drinking, wild, elderly woman. I found her to be a hoot and thoroughly enjoyed her antics. When Nona wakes up beside her date after a night of partying, she finds her Elvis impersonator is dead, stabbed to death. She begs Zoe to help her out but when they return to the scene of the crime, Elvis has left the building and there is no evidence of a murder. The rookie sheriff filling in for the town has Nona in his sights: either she’s crazy and needs serious help, or she’s covered up the murder and needs to be arrested. Zoe finds that despite having a six-month-old baby, she can’t give up her sleuthing until Nona is exonerated.
I found that the story alternated between humorous capers with Nona and the Elvis impersonators and sweet, sentimental interludes with the main cast of characters. I also liked learning a bit of backstory about Nona which gives her an added depth. Ms. Daley has done a wonderful job of developing both the protagonist and her supporting characters so that the reader feels like they are visiting family each time they pick up one of her books. The plot is well developed with several twists and it flows throughout the story and character development. The ending provides a satisfactory conclusion wrapping the threads up yet leaves you wanting to read the next book just as soon as possible.
Ms. Daley provides several recipes at the back of the book that incorporates the 4th of July theme. I was drawn to the Fudge Sundae Pie for a couple reasons: I love the idea of using Rice Krispies for the crust and my favorite flavor combination is chocolate and peanut butter. Once you add creamy, cold ice cream you’ve got a winning dessert on your hands! I found the recipe easy to make and best of all, I made it the day before I had guests arriving. Since it stores in the freezer, there isn’t a worry that it could get stale or soggy like some desserts can when made ahead of time. Fudge Sundae Pie is a cool, refreshing dessert perfect for a hot summer day!
Amazon Synopsis
Summer has come to Ashton Falls and with it a focus on the beach, the lake, and family time outdoors. School is out so Zak is holding down the fort at home, and Zoe and Charlie are working full time at the Zoo, while Tiffany is on her honeymoon and Jeremy is out on maternity leave. Life, it seems, is just about perfect. Or is it?
A special thanks to Kathi Daley for providing a winner with their choice of a print or e-book copy of FIREWORK FIASCO! Print is limited to U.S. residents and ends Thursday, July 5, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2-1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate fudge sauce or syrup*
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 quart softened ice cream: your choice of vanilla, chocolate, coffee
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Combine corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it boils.
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Pour over Rice Krispies. Stir together and then press into a buttered pie plate.
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Mix all the topping ingredients together and spread half on top of the pie crust.
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Spread softened ice cream on top of crust.
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Spread remaining topping over ice cream.
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Freeze for 2 - 3 hours.
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If desired, garnish with chopped peanuts just before serving.
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You can make extra topping and pile it on thick. It's up to you.
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*Hershey's Chocolate Syrup in a can works well with this recipe. If you use hot fudge sauce, your topping will be thick and more difficult to spread, but it will still be delicious! If you find the topping is too thick to spread, add an additional tablespoon or two of corn syrup.
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If ice cream is too soft to spread the topping, freeze at least 60 minutes then add topping.
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We like to watch A Capitol Fourth on PBS. We started doing this a few years back so that we don’t have to fight traffic, weather, or intoxicated people to go to fireworks shows. I like that the show is one the whole family can enjoy together. 🙂
We don’t have any real traditions. When the kids were small we’d go over to Ft. Hamilton here in Brooklyn for the concert. Now they’re grown with their own homes (one even has an upstate summer home). We watch The Capital Fourth on PBS and just enjoy the day.
Nothing special for the 4th. Not a fan of the loud noises the fireworks make.
We have no special traditions for 4th of July. We just stay home and bbq. A lot of our neighbors shoot off fireworks so we just watch from our deck.
My church does fireworks on the ballfield outside my door and I live on a hill so I can see several other displays a couple of cities away. I do those every year and have had a couple of parties. I also dvr the Boston fireworks and A Capital 4th.
This pie looks so refreshing for the 4th! Food, fireworks and pie are my idea of celebrating well.
Like Brooke I try to cozy up with the show from the Mall in DC. I’ve been once in person and it’s wonderul, but hot and sticky!
Growing up in inland Southern CA the tradition was to go to the local community college parking lot and watch the city display of fireworks shot off the top of the tallest hill is town. There was a secondary show every year— watching the fire trucks go up the same hill at some point during the show to put out the fires started in the dry brush. Welcome to fire country!
We have always had a pool party and big clambake or a BBQ on the 4th for the last 48 years. Once our kids were born and got older these parties have been very popular! Now, in the last ten years, our daughter has taken over the pool parties on the 4th but we still do our lobster and clam bake and BBQ just as we always did. It’s a great time with lots of family attending!
Congratulations on your release.
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What a wonderful title and book cover for a 4th of July giveaway. Thanks for the chance. Can’t wait to read. And the Fudge Sunday pie sounds delicious!
No, but when I was a kid we always went to the parade and fireworks.
I about fell off my hair when I read “either she’s crazy and needs serious help“ about Nona, which is what my brother calls me … Nonie and Nona are nicknames dirived from my given name … had my own Grandma Nona … was a Sheriff’s Deputy for several years and this is my favorite genre for reading! Was this book written for me or what?! So fun … thanks for another new author to explore!
This looks like something that both my husband and I would love. Not that either of us needs the calories. This is our 4th of July here in FL so we have been searching online to find something to do and then fireworks hopefully over the water as we are close to the Gulf.
I knew I was in for good trouble as soon as I saw the name of the goody!
Nothing going on for the fourth, but that recipe looks great. Winning a book would also be a celebration.
Due to me being disabled it is to hard to take my scooter into crowds which I don’t like anyway so we sit on our front porch and watch 5 cities do their fireworks. Also the pups don’t hear them as the fireworks are so far away which is so good!
Not any more. We usually cook out and watch fireworks but this year in Colorado they are banned because of fire.
We have a big party at our house, cookout, pool, hot tub, fire pit, and a big fireworks display after dark where it’s legal in our town. Love seeing all our friends and spending the day with them.
LOVE – LOVE – LOVE this author and can’t wait for the opportunity to read “FIREWORK FIASCO”. What an absolutely adorable cover!
July 1 is our wedding anniversary so it makes the 4th special to us as well. You see, we never celebrate important occasions for one day. Hubby started it way before we married saying that you celebrate one event until another takes over it’s place. His birthday on April 22nd was celebrated (he thought) until my Mom’s which was on May 30th a an example. With that thinking, we celebrate our anniversary (including the 4th) all they way until his Mom’s birthday in August. Isn’t it grand that everyone gets into our celebration by shooting off fireworks and having wonderful picnics? 🙂
For as far back as I can remember as a kid, the 4th always meant grilled cheeseburgers, ice cold watermelon and homemade ice cream. Although with it just being hubby and I now, we don’t seem to be able to eat all that in one day so we spread it out over 2 or 3 days but we get it all in.
The funniest thing that happened on the 4th was going to a park while visiting at my Aunt and Uncle’s for our family 4th cookout and my Dad unknowingly parked on where someone had had a charcoal cooking area on the ground in an unmarked area. We got out and were unloading when we smelled burned rubber. Dad got in the car and quickly moved it but not before it had made the tire “look” funny. No flat but slightly melted. We rode that tire all the way back from OK to back home in CA before it gave out. By then the burned area had worn and that technician just shook his head trying to figure out what the world had happened to that tire.
Pray everyone has a safe and fun 4th. Just remember to watch where you park your car. 🙂
We watch fireworks at the golf course. I love cooking out and when my girls were little, we always had sparklers.
When in UK on the fourth, we do a bbq, play some patriotic music, and have fireworks…we invite friends, family and fellow Americans.
In the USA (home), we usually cook out, go swimming at the beach or a pool, and go see fireworks. Love to go to the ones held at the fair grounds because symphony orchestra is there and we get great patriotic music!
When I was real young, we went to parades and community fireworks. I lived in California where rain on the 4th of July never seems to be a problem! As a teen, we had moved out toward Palm Springs…it was the 60s…I was super excited to go to fireworks in the high school football field. I was allowed to walk around with a friend…and of course being a teen, I made sure I wore nice shorts or cutoffs and a white top that would show off my tan….I’m sure those pheromones were jumping off our bodies. Sigh. I was so innocent!
This pie looks excellent…I’d have to change topping to uhmmm…maybe Nutella and then tell my hubby it was just chocolate…hehe….he is not allergic to nuts but despises peanut butter.
We don’t have any real traditions. We enjoy watching the fireworks from out deck but alas, no fireworks this year. Extreme fire hazard- they burnt 1/2 the mountain last year.
We try to cook out with our children and grandchildren. We can see the fireworks from our back deck.
No big plans for the 4th. I do like to watch the fireworks on the 4th though.
always have to see the fireworks
We hang out with friends and family. Good food, good times.
No we don’t have any 4th of July traditions . Thank you for a chance to win a paperback copy of Firework Fiasco.
This looks so delicious and would be great at a picnic! The only tradition I have is trying to keep one of my kids from burning themselves or a sibling!
Hubby and I don’t have any traditions for the fourth, sometimes we will watch fireworks somewhere if happen on some but we don’t go out to expressively to watch them.
No traditions, we just get with other family members if we can get them all together. If not it’s ok just the 3 of us can be together 🙂
We (my son and I) do not usually have anything planned for the 4th of July. Sometimes, my son will do things with his friends and I stay at home to read or watch TV. This year, he will be working until early evening and then will go hang out with his peeps. My youngest sister was married on July 1st and my oldest sister on July 4th (both many, many years ago). They both have plans with their family or a quiet getaway with their husbands. I am seriously thinking of making this Fudge Sundae Pie for Trevor to take with him for his friends. Of course, there may be a section or two removed from it first. ♥
Parade,cookout, & fireworks on the years I don’t work — last time was 5 years sgo.
Every year we have a family reunion at the beach during the week of the 4th of July and we all go to the beach to watch fireworks on the 4th.
Fireworks, eat out or picnic w/ family. Thanks.
Yummy pie! My mom’s birthday was July 4 and when we were kids she told us the fireworks were for her.
We always have a cookout for our grown children and grandchildren.
Fireworks and the parade.
Bbq, watch fireworks and try and keep our dog calm.
not anymore just stay home and read
Not particularly. We go to a different display every year. There are a lot within driving distance for us. Also like to watch the D.C. patriotic program on tv.
We always have a barbecue and watch the fire works from inside the house so we can be with the dog he gets so scared we won’t leave him, You are not to shoot them off but people still do around here then run when the police come
Penney
We have friends and family over for bbq, fireworks and games. We don’t do big fireworks, but we have a lot of fun. The kiddos and animals don’t appreciate the noise so we do our best to keep it down. I’m just happy for the chance to get together and let loose a little. I love, love, love Kathi Daley and Zoe!
Not any special traditions, altho we usually cookout.
Watch the city fireworks every year!
We do not really do plans for the 4th….always super hot so I cannot venture out for too long. Fireworks on the day before are always looked forward too.
My dog has a super hard time with fireworks. She and I usually cuddle up together and read. If I want I can watch the fireworks from my bed while holding her and whispering words of comfort.
No traditions now like we did in the past.
We don’t have any traditions, we just hang out around the house, maybe cook something on the grill and just enjoy the day.
I don’t have any traditions anymore, other than I usually watch the fireworks and listen to patriotic music on tv, now that I’m disabled. We used to grill and make red, white and blue desserts.
No, we don’t really have any traditions. Wish we did. Mostly, I comfort the animals while the fireworks are going off. Guess that’s my tradition.
Pie looks yummy. Nothing beats Chocolate & PB.
We don’t have any 4th of July traditions other than having a big meal and doing fireworks as soon as it gets dark.
We usually go into town to watch their fireworks show. It’s always great!
The only Fourth of July tradition is to stay out of traffic! We live near a beach for the traffic is terrible. Because of this we like to either go to out towns fireworks or simply watch them from our yard!
Great book for a 4th of July giveaway! We usually go to the fireworks.
Book sounds great, and the pie looks delicious. We go to my parents for a cookout for the 4th
We really do not have any 4th of July traditions. Lighting fireworks or watching them is always fun. But do to fire restrictions in our state, there is no fireworks this year. So plan to just stay home and relax this year. Thank you for the chance, I would like to win this book.
We like to watch the fireworks and have a picnic lunch with family and friends. Thanks for the great recipe.
We have a family cookout complete with bonfire.
I watch fireworks
We go to a small town close to us on the 3rd for their fireworks show. On the 4th there is a parade, then arts&crafts and games on the courthouse square. Lunch with family and friends. Then grilling that night with family!! ??
We just have a family bbq and strangely we liked to watch the Nathan’s hot dog eating championship on tv.
We have really never had 4th of July traditions. As a child, my Daddy liked fireworks so we always had a few at home — that was back when one didn’t find the big, expensive sets but just a few individually purchased ones — and lots of sparklers.
When our kids were little we usually enjoyed fireworks at a community gathering of some kind. Hubby was military so we lived in different places and took part in what was available.
After the kids were adults, hubby went into ministry, so the Fourth was again just whatever.
The last 5 years we [or mostly me since hubby was usually off to church camp that week] took part in the Dewey activities — which included a duck race, popcorn, free watermelon, hamburgers, music, and then fireworks to finish off the evening. I would help with the popcorn, watermelon booth. And before heading to the park for the community activity, we would go to a friends house for a “feast” with lots of people, family and friends.
This year tho, since we moved last October, we had a low key 4th. Hubby cooked chicken and ribs on the grill and our son and our daughter and her family came for dinner [total of 7 of us]. Son had to go home early as he has to be at work by 6 am. The rest of us went to see the fireworks in our little community.
We don’t do anything special Independence day; just cook real American food! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Since the kids are grown and out of the house. The only tradition I have now is staying in where it is cool and the mosquitoes can’t get me and read.
The Fudge Sundae Pie looks good, I am going to have to try it. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Firework Fiasco.
I don’t do fireworks anymore since my kids grew up, and my current place doesn’t allow them. I did watch A Capitol Fourth many years, or I watch Independence Day. It’s silly, patriotic fun. Or PBS’s The Great American Fourth of July and other Disasters based on Jean Shepherd’s story, with the family from Christmas Story, but now Ralphie is a teen. It’s a hoot!
Watching fireworks with my hubby! Thanks for the chance. Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
The only tradition that we really have is spending time with family and enjoying watching fireworks in the neighborhood.
lilyanngill56(at)gmail(dot)com