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A THREE BOOK PROBLEM is the seventh book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany. This has long been one of my favorite series and while this newest release might not be my favorite of the bunch, it still proved to be a captivating read full of intrigue and clever homage to the Great Detective. With the backdrop of a weekend working and socializing at a Sherlockian getaway at a crumbling manor house, the scene is set for an old-fashioned whodunit. Protagonist, Gemma Doyle, owner of Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, has agreed to work alongside Jayne Wilson, her best friend and part owner of Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, to cater the weekend event. Rounding out the trio of friends at the event is Ryan Ashburton, Gemma’s boyfriend and local police detective. He’s taken time off from his job to help out. In previous books, Ryan’s been more standoffish due to the murder investigations he’s been involved in but, in this informal setting, it was much easier to get to know him a little bit better which I appreciated. One of the great strengths of Ms. Delany is her character development and character growth over the course of the series. They are memorable and capture my imagination… including Gemma’s elusive and quite mysterious great-uncle Arthur, a renowned Sherlock expert.

When the host is murdered, by a poisonous dart no less, Gemma has the unique opportunity of being right in the midst of things. Not only is she helping serve the catered meals to the guests, but she’s one of the Sherlock experts, representing her uncle and their shop. This gives her plenty of occasions to ask questions and observe the behavior of the guests and the staff hired by the host. And since the manor house is out in the middle of nowhere, Gemma realizes that the murderer must be someone staying at the house with them. Could it be the sulky housekeeper or the rude butler? Or could one of the guests, who are supposedly there because of their love of all things Sherlock Holmes, have cause to wish their host harm? As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that there are secrets to uncover and clues to suss out. Ms. Delany proves once again that she’s a masterful storyteller with the ability to create a memorable book!

While there aren’t any recipes in the book, Jayne Wilson creates all sorts of tempting dishes to serve over the weekend. From breakfast to lunch to afternoon tea to dinner to dessert, the guests were well-fed. I might have gained a few pounds just reading about the food! Vicki has graciously shared a shortbread recipe with us, which claims to be a favorite of Buckingham Palace. Simple ingredients mix together quickly and I like that the dough is rolled out into a square, then cut into squares or triangles after it’s baked. With a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar, these flaky shortbread cookies are the perfect afternoon treat whether you prefer tea, coffee, milk, or just plain water.

Amazon Synopsis

It’s a crisp, early October weekend, and business is slowing down as fall descends at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian David Masterson has rented Suffolk Gardens House, where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country house weekend.

As the chosen caterers, Jayne Wilson and Gemma Doyle get to work preparing lavish meals and setting up Sherlockian books and props for entertainment. Meanwhile, police detective Ryan Ashburton has taken time away from his duties to assist in the kitchen. It quickly becomes apparent that David’s guests don’t like each other–or their host. Plus, some of them aren’t even acquainted with the adventures of the Great Detective.

Before Gemma can ponder their relationships a poisoned dart sails through the window of the library, presenting Gemma Doyle with a three-book problem.

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Buckingham Palace Shortbread from Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room

From Vicki Delany: Jayne Wilson, part owner and head baker at Ms. Hudson’s Tea Room, is hired to cater a traditional Victorian country house weekend for a Sherlock Holmes gathering in the seventh book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series A Three Book Problem. She intends to pull out all the stops in making the meals perfect. The dessert at the Saturday night banquet is a trifle, and she accompanies that with slices of delicious buttery shortbread made in the English style. In her hunt for the perfect recipe, she found this one, which is supposedly the recipe they use for shortbread at Buckingham Palace. Jayne has seen several different recipes that apparently are the ones favoured by the queen, so she takes take that claim with a pinch of salt. However, they are made in her kitchen, so that’s just as good. Right?

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup cornstarch + 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt until well blended.

2. In a stand mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

3. On low speed, add the flour mixture in two or three additions until it forms a soft dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F

5. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the dough out to a 3/4-inch-thick slab, Transfer, parchment and all, to the baking sheet and bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes.

6. Slip the parchment paper with the shortbread onto a hard surface.

7. Immediately sprinkle the shortbread heavily with the confectioners' sugar. While still warm, cut the shortbread into 1- or 1 ½-inch pieces. Let cool completely.

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

I am beyond thrilled to celebrate FROSTED YULETIDE MURDER‘s release! With the somewhat unexpected addition of Missy, our new mini Goldendoodle puppy to our household in April, my writing schedule was seriously derailed. It took a ton of determination by setting my alarm clock an hour earlier than usual and before the puppy needed to get up and writing in the dark so I wouldn’t wake her. I attempted to write seven days a week, one hour a day (I had no idea puppies demanded SO much energy and attention all day long!!!) but in the end I finally got the manuscript off to the editor in mid-October and to my cover designer. And Missy now gets to share the pages and the cover with my grand-doggy, Piper. A huge thank you to everyone who has encouraged my writing by leaving reviews for the previous books in the Cupcake Catering Mystery series – you definitely inspired me to tell this holiday story!

As a special thank you and as a holiday gift to you, the ebook is available for only $0.99 and the print copy has been discounted as well, through the end of December. Don’t miss out on the special price! And check out below, my recipe for Lacy Oatmeal Cookies which is one of several included in the book.

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Set against the holiday cheer of twinkling lights, costumed carolers, and a festive line of extravagantly decorated boats participating in the annual Christmas boat parade in Newport Beach, California, cupcake caterer Emory Martinez finds that the grinch has crashed the party. Together with her sister Carrie, Emory is catering a delectable feast of holiday cupcakes and cookies aboard a luxury yacht for the new Mrs. Blair Villman and her guests.

Sparks fly when Carrie comes face-to-face with the hostess, who just happens to be Carrie’s high school frenemy, and old grievances are dredged up. Adding fuel to the fire, Blair’s stepson brings his mother, the former Mrs. Villman, to the party. Instead of celebrating holiday cheer, someone seems intent on channeling the Burgermeister Meisterburger and shutting down Blair’s party permanently. When Emory finds a body aboard the yacht, she needs to discover who iced the victim before the Scrooge ruins not only her livelihood but her freedom as well.

I’m also celebrating my new release with a $10 Amazon gift card giveaway. Scroll down below the recipe to enter via the Rafflecopter link. Contest ends 12/21/21.

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Lacy Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional:

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, your choice of white, semi-sweet, or dark

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together until well combined the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla until incorporated then stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
3. Cover dough and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Form the dough into 2-teaspoon-sized balls (about 24 cookies) and place 4 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

6. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 14 to 15 minutes. The cookies should be golden, and centers should appear set.

7. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
8. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to set before storing in an airtight container with parchment paper separating the layers. Consume within 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Tip:

1. To melt the chocolate, place the chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Repeat for 20-second increments, stirring well after each heat cycle until the chips are smooth. Place in a pastry bag or disposable ziplock bag and snip a corner to release the drizzle over the cooled cookies.

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Be sure to follow along on my Great Escapes Virtual blog tour. There will be a gift card giveaway and a chance to win a print copy of FROSTED YULETIDE MURDER!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

December 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 14 – This Is My Truth Now – REVIEW
December 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 15 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – Our Holiday Journey – SPOTLIGHT
December 16 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
December 16 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
December 16 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW
December 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
December 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 17 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
December 17 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT
December 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
December 19 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

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STARLIGHT AT MOONGLOW is the seventh book in the Moonglow Christmas series by Deborah Garner. Every year I await with great anticipation for the newest sweet, holiday-based novella to release and welcome in the Christmas season! Ms. Garner’s characters are a delight to spend time with, especially the protagonist, Mist. There’s something just a bit magical about Mist as she welcomes and tends to the guests who arrive at the Timberton Hotel for the holidays. From the food she prepares, to the gifts she leaves each guest, to the miniature paintings she creates each Christmas Eve for each visitor to open Christmas morning, Mist seems to know what would be most meaningful for every individual. The author’s strong descriptive voice brings it all to life so that I felt like I was there, enjoying the scrumptious dishes, the roaring fire, and yuletide carols while spending time with friends, both new and old. Starlight at Moonglow is the perfect short holiday read to cozy up beneath a comforting quilt, sipping on eggnog or hot cocoa, and immerse yourself for a couple hours in pure Christmas joy!

One of the Christmas traditions at the Timberton Hotel is the annual cookie exchange for townsfolk and guests alike. Each year Ms. Garner invites readers to submit their favorite cookie recipe to include in the book, and each year I look forward to providing one of my own cookie recipes for the cookie exchange recipe section. This year I created Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Cookies for Starlight at Moonglow and I’m happy to share the recipe with you today. Thin dark chocolate cookies are a bit soft and chewy on the inside and a little crisp around the edges. With a sprinkle of coarse white sugar to mimic snow or a sprinkle of peppermint chips to add a festive flare, Santa and his elves will be delighted to be the recipient of these yummy cookies!

Amazon Synopsis

As the Christmas holiday approaches, a blizzard threatens the peaceful ambiance that the Timberton Hotel usually offers its guests. Even resident artist and chef, Mist, known to work near miracles, has no control over the howling winds and heavy snowfall. But there’s always a bit of magic in this small Montana town, and this year’s storm may just find it’s no match for heartfelt camaraderie, joyful inspiration, and sweet romance.

A special thanks to Deborah Garner for providing one lucky winner their choice of either print or an e-book copy of STARLIGHT AT MOONGLOW! Contest ends Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 11:59 pm PST. Print is 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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Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (or instant coffee such as Starbucks VIA)
• 3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Garnish

• Coarse white sugar or peppermint crunch baking chips (such as Andes)

Instructions

1. Sift together, into a medium bowl, the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at time, until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix just until fully incorporated.
5. Refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes.
6. Separate the dough into two pieces, and roll each piece into 12-inch logs (about 2 inches in diameter). Tightly wrap each log in parchment paper.
7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

9. Slice the cookies into 1/4 to 1/3-inch-thick rounds and place 6 slices only on a parchment-lined baking sheet. These cookies spread while baking so give them ample space. If desired, sprinkle tops of cookies with coarse white sugar or peppermint crunch baking chips.

10. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking cycle.

11. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Tip

1. If dough is too hard to slice through, allow to sit at room temperature for 15 – 30 minutes.

2. The dough can be made up to 3 months ahead of time, formed into logs, and wrapped in parchment paper. Place the logs into a freezer-safe Ziplock bag and freeze until needed. Allow the frozen dough to defrost overnight in the refrigerator then proceed as directed for slicing and baking.

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