I had the pleasure of meeting Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delaney) at the Left Coast Crime conference in Phoenix in February. I was a bit embarrassed to admit, though, that I had never read any of her books. I had good intentions of doing so and had some of her books on my massive Amazon wish list over the last couple of years…but somehow they got lost in the shuffle and never purchased. Well let me tell you, I have sorely been missing out on the Lighthouse Library Mystery series and I have some catching up to do! Eva graciously provided me with a copy of READING UP A STORM, her newest release and the third book in the series. I was captivated from the very first sentence, “It was a dark and stormy night….” While a cliche, the author made me chuckle with her very next sentence and then proceeded to pull me in for a terrific read.
Lucy Richardson is the Assistant Librarian at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, ten miles outside Nags Head in the Outer Banks region. She’s only been there a few months, after leaving Boston and a breakup behind, and now resides in the cozy living quarters at the top of the lighthouse (which sounds totally awesome to me!). After wrapping up a surprise tenth work anniversary party for her boss, Bertie James, everyone heads home as a storm blows in. Lucy goes upstairs to her quarters and sees small lights waving from a beach that should be deserted. To make matters more eerie, a small motorboat is heading for the lights and towards certain destruction. Lucy calls the Coast Guard who end up rescuing Will Williamson and his much younger girlfriend, Marlene, just before the boat crashes onto shore.
The next day Will and Marlene attend a book club meeting that Lucy is moderating. One of her new friends, Stephanie, is also attending. Stephanie is a newcomer to Nags Head as well, moving to town to tend to her mother who was severely injured when a drunk driver hit her. Later that night a tipsy Stephanie confronts her mother about revealing who her father was, with Lucy there as a witness. It turns out Will Williamson is the cad who got Stephanie’s high-school-aged mother pregnant and then dumped her and left town with his wife and son, never once providing any type of child support. Now Will is back in town, a wealthy man with a trophy girlfriend on his arm.
The following morning Lucy walks through the marsh with her friend, and the town’s police officer, Butch Greenblatt, when they come across the stabbed body of Will Williamson in an abandoned boat. It doesn’t take long for the police to set their sights on Stephanie as the killer when it comes out that Will was her deadbeat dad and she doesn’t have an alibi. But the town rumor mill is also throwing their up-for-reelection mayor, Dr. Connor McNeil, into the pool of suspects. Lucy knows that neither of them could be guilty of such a heinous crime and she knows she’s going to have to find the real killer before her friends lose everything they hold dear.
Aside from the fabulous location, location, location of READING UP A STORM, Eva Gates provides a compelling plot with plenty of twists and turns and suspects to keep you wanting to turn the pages. Lucy is surrounded by people who care about her and by people who try her patience which adds to the humanization of the characters. There’s also a bit of romance that could develop between Lucy and Connor or Lucy and Butch… no spoilers here, but I will say that Eva won’t keep you hanging book after book after book… While there are not any recipes included with the book, Lucy’s cousin, Josie, is a talented baker and brings all the goodies to the surprise party and the book club events. The dessert that she most often provides is Maple Pecan Squares (or tarts if you want to be fancy). Eva kindly provided the recipe for me to share and they were an enormous hit with my taste testers as they are with Lucy and Josie’s friends! I’ve also included a short video tutorial on how to make these delectable cookie bars that feature gooey maple filling surrounding crunchy, buttery pecans on top of a pecan based shortbread crust.
I look forward to catching up with the first two books in this series AND look forward to the next book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series…but in case you haven’t heard, several publishers are ending their contracts with numerous cozy mystery authors. Eva Gates has heard that the Lighthouse Library Mystery series may not be renewed if the sales don’t meet up with the publisher’s expectations. Click on the link for very cute blog posts from Mary at mjbreviewers on Six Ways to Support Authors and Six More Ways to Support Authors.
A very special thank you to Eva Gates for providing an autographed copy of READING UP A STORM to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, April 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Maple Pecan Squares
As featured in Reading up a Storm by Eva Gates
Makes 36 squares
Ingredients
Base
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
Pecan Layer
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1-3/4 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
Grease and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides.
Base
Pulse flour, brown sugar, pecans, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a food processor to combine.
Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly.
Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, until it just browns around the edges.
Allow to cool while you prepare the pecan layer.
Pecan Layer
Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and egg until smooth.
Stir in chopped pecans and pour over shortbread base.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges. The middle may not look like it’s entirely set but don’t worry, it will firm up as it cools.
Allow to cool completely before slicing.
If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.
I received an ARC from the author and/or publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.
Lately, I’ve been making a salted caramel rice krispie bar recipe to take places. I am so looking forward to reading this, how fun that you got a chance to meet her this year! Thanks so much for the chance to win!
I usually take carrot cake or banana pudding to events.
I take chocolate chip cookies. They are always popular!
I usually bring Icebox cake or Brownies
I love peach cobblers!!
I have a strawberry pie that is always a big hit. I do a really good peanute butter one too. Both recipes came from friends.
I make a great pineapple, mandarian cake. I make it for every function, because my family begs me to make it~!
Those look like a tasty recipe I should try!
After a lot of searching found a peanut butter fudge recipe that is really easy and super popular. That and the sugar cookie recipe I altered a bit are terrific hits so I take both to special functions. Have never had any left so have to make separate batch for the family. Sometimes will make an extra batch for the household. The Maple Pecan is going to be made this weekend. Thank you for the recipe and a chance at the book
I make Banana Pudding. It’s a southern dessert with homemade vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers and bananas. It’s yummy.
Chocolate chip cookies
I would love to win. Thanks for the chance. We have an old family recipe for Golden Brownies. They’d be my favorite.
These look absolutely fabulous – just like something Josie would make. I love the Lighthouse Library Series!
Sorry, I missed the question — I usually bring Dr. Pepper cake ~
Crunchy Fudge Rice Krispy Bars or Tropical Cheesecake – both disappear like magic!
Depending on the occasion and season, I usually bring homemade cookies, peach cobbler, or frozen fruit pizza.
for events I usually make a Hummingbird Cake or an Elvis Presley Cake…both equally yummy!
I have a Hummingbird Cake I often make too. Never heard of Elvis Presley cake before.
When I can convince my granddaughter to make her delicious chocolate chip cookies I take those. Otherwise I like to try a new, but not too risky, recipe.
If I need a quick, last minute dessert, I usually make cinnamon sugar cake.
I usually bring chocolate chip cookies for the kids and carrot cake for the adults.
Oh my! I will put these Maple Pecan Squares at the top of my baking queue…my girls will be jealous. But, before this…I would take cheesecake cupcakes to gatherings. I would bring a topping tray with fruit, jams, and chocolates for guests to create their own. fun!
When I go to someone’s house I always bring my marble cake.
I’m not much of a cook or baker but I make mini pecan pie cups that everyone loves so I bring them every time 🙂
wow! YOu’ve all made me very hungry. Good luck in the contest!
I usually make pineapple upside down cake or lemon bars.
They look delicious! I love any baked goods with nuts.
I have this super tasty chocolate chocolate cupcake recipe that I like to bring to events, they always get inhaled!
I love taking pumpkin cheesecake to dinners. It’s so tasty, and not something anyone else usually brings, so it’s special. 🙂
Cupcakes are easy to decorate and take!
We usually take cream puffs. People are always asking for them so that’s what we bring. We also take chocolate chip cookies because someone is always looking for chocolate. Thank you for the giveaway. Great series!
well everyone comes here for the holidays and meals but I am the only one who has an original copy of a recipe for a cookie that my mom wrote out and used to make every Christmas with her mom when she was a child growing up in Austria.. and her handwriting is European style..but anyways..I make them every year for the tradition and memories..they are called “Almond crescents” here but we always called them “moon cookies” because they are shaped like the moon..lol
I usually bring brownies or dutch apple pie. I know I have to try these maple pecan bars, they look wonderful!
I love brownies this sounds like a really good recipe for maple pecan bars. I can’t wait to read this new book. Zeta@iwon.com
Great post! I can’t wait to try the recipe Vegan-style 🙂
Our favorite dessert to share (besides a fresh fruit plate) is Dirty Brownies: Chocolate Chip cookies on the bottom layer, Chocolate Sandwich cookies in the middle & topped with Brownies!
Any kind of cake with chocolate in it
Those look delicious, my husband would love them. And the book sounds like a great read.
Pumpkin roll. This recipe sounds great. Can’t wait to try it.
These sound like a great compromise to pecan pie which always seems too much.
I might be tempted to add some chopped dark chocolate.
Sounds great will have to try.
sounds great we usually make brownies and take them to events as they go over good but this sounds so good hubby will make and i will watch as disabled and thats how we have to do things!
I don’t have a special dessert. I also like this series!
Chocolate chip cookies I won a blue ribbon at the county fair when I as a kid! In 4H
I enjoyed reading the first two Lighthouse Library mysteries, and would love to win this new one! Also I love making desserts using local maple syrup!! grace dot koshida at gmail dot com
Watergate salad! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
I’d love to eat these while ” Reading Up A Storm’
I bring an angel food cake that I cut in half and pour whatever fresh fruit is available then add vanilla pudding/whipped cream (not a whipped topping but real whipped cream) with some brandy (depends on what family activity to decide how much alcohol to put in!). Put the other half back on and then cover the whole thing with the rest of the whip cream mixture.
nope! 🙂
I’m no fun. I bring something from the store.