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A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR, the tenth book in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander, is a sweet Christmas holiday read that will surely put the reader in the mood for a full cup of holiday cheer. It was a treat to immerse myself in the holly season as protagonist and owner of Torte, Jules (Juliet) Capshaw, contends with keeping the townspeople of Ashland, Oregon filled with sugarplums and other tasty holiday puddings and treats. Ms. Alexander’s endearing series’ greatest strength is the character development of Jules and her close-knit family, friends, and employees. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them from the early books and then seeing them grow and develop over the course of the series. They’ve all become like close friends. A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR can be read as a stand-alone, however as an avid reader, I’ve loved the slow unfolding of the characters’ lives.

Another strength is the author’s ability to effectively capture the sights, sounds, and flavors of the setting. Her detailed descriptions make the reader feel like you’re living right there: tasting Jule’s special cookies and her barista’s coffee of the day; feeling the first snowflakes of the season; and smelling the pine trees as Jules and her best friend, Lance, hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. I love how Jules spreads holiday cheer even to Lance, who would rather be a Grinch than a jolly elf.

Lance isn’t the only one who wants to embrace being a Grinch, and when a woman is found murdered at the long-running Dicken’s feast at a local Ashland Inn, Jules finds herself embroiled in another investigation. I like Jules’ style of investigation. She’s never overly pushy and while she manages to question a lot of people, she still gives her full attention to her bakery. Of course she relies heavily on the fabulous coffee coming from her barista to keep her awake for hours on end so she can accomplish so much. There isn’t a stressful, why is she putting herself in danger, ending which is particularly nice after being cocooned in the holiday festivities. Yet, Ms. Alexander manages to create a satisfying mystery that kept me intrigued and turning pages.

Jules and her staff at Torte are amazing bakers. There were so many delectable goodies being served to the townspeople that I literally had to rush to the back of the book to check out which recipes Ms. Alexander includes. I bookmarked several I have to try but wanted to share her recipe for Mom’s Antoinettes. Buttery, almond-flavored shortbread-style cookies are sandwiched around raspberry jam and then topped with dark chocolate buttercream. It really is as good as it sounds… maybe even better given my taste testers feedback! With the bright red filling and the swirls of chocolate buttercream, these Antoinettes will beautifully adorn any cookie tray, whatever time of year it may be.

Amazon Synopsis

It’s Christmastime and everyone is heading to Torte, the most cheerful bakery in town. There’s no place like home for the homicide…

Ashland, Oregon, looks as pretty as a postcard this holiday season. The halls are decked, stockings hung, and eyes are all aglow―mostly thanks to the buttered rum. Jules Capshaw and her staff at Torte are busier than ever. . . still, even the town’s most in-demand bakers need to take a break. So Jules invites everyone to celebrate at the local Winchester Inn’s Dickens Feast, a six-course extravaganza with Yorkshire Pudding, Christmas goose, and all the trimmings. But as the weather outside becomes frightful, things inside turn less delightful when one of the guests ends up as dead as Scrooge’s doornail. Now it’s up to Jules and her helpers to make a list of suspects―and check it twice―to try to find out who’s naughty, who’s nice, and who’s guilty of murder…

A special thanks to Ellie Alexander for providing one winner with a print copy of A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR. Contest ends Sunday, October 20, 2019 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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Mom's Antoinette Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Filling

• 1 jar raspberry jam

Instructions

Cookies

1. Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer. Add egg and almond extract and mix well. Slowly incorporate flour and salt.

2. Roll dough into a large ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for one hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

4. Make small balls (half inch) and place on cookie sheet. You should be able to get 4 to 5 balls per row. Then use the palm of your hand to press balls into circles (approximately the size of a quarter.)

5. Bake 6 - 8 minutes. Allow to cool.

Frosting

1. Whip butter in mixer. Slowly incorporate cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream.

2. Mix on high setting for 5 minutes, or until frosting is creamy and light.

Assemble Cookies

1. Assemble cookies by spreading a thin layer of raspberry jam on the flat side of two cookies. Sandwich them together. Spread a generous layer of chocolate frosting on the top.

2. Pop in your mouth and enjoy!

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I’m delighted to be participating in the Great Escapes Book Tour introducing MUMBO GUMBO MURDER! This sixteenth book in the popular Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran is a fun romp through the streets of New Orleans during Jazz Fest. The author duo brings the French Quarter to life and the reader is treated to the sights, sounds, and tastes of this vibrant city. And oh the tastes… New Orleans is a foodie-lovers’ paradise and the protagonist, Carmela Bertrand, and her sidekick, Ava, eat and drink their way through the festival making me wish I could be there with them. I also enjoyed the parade scenes with the Beastmaster Puppets. The tidbits of information the authors provide on how the puppeteers manipulate them, especially the jumbo-sized puppets, was quite interesting. The reader is also treated to the creepy side of New Orleans through the vampire society and the voodoo shops. Ava, owner of one of the voodoo shops, adds zing to the antics she gets into with scrapbook shop owner Carmela. As a team their capers spice up the pages of this entertaining read and while it’s a mystery with murder, they often reminded me of a younger Lucy and Ethel.

While the settings, tastes, and zany antics contribute lighthearted fun, the authors still deliver a solid mystery for Carmela and Ava to solve. The action starts with a literal bang from the very beginning and continues with page-turning intrigue. Even though Carmela is engaged to Detective Edgar Babcock, who begs her not to get involved, she still manages to insert herself into the thick of the investigation. This time it’s her antiques dealing friend who is murdered and after rescuing the dead man’s adorable pug, she can’t help but want to find out who ended his life. Could his death be related to the rumors swirling around that he owned a piece of President Lincoln’s coat, worn on the night of his assassination? Or was there something of value hidden away in his shop that was worth killing for? As Carmela asks questions and listens to gossip, while eating her way through town, the suspect lists grows. With an action-packed conclusion, Ms. Childs and Ms. Moran provide a satisfactory end to a highly entertaining read.

Like I mentioned before, New Orleans is a food-lovers’ paradise. Fortunate for the reader, the authors include several recipes at the back of the book along with scrapbooking tips and craft ideas. One of the yummy recipes is a cookie recipe title Pecan Jazz Tarts. While I’m not clear why it’s called a tart, I can say that these cookies are scrumptious! Loads of buttery pecans are mixed with a shortbread-style cookie dough, rolled into an oblong shape, and after baking, rolled in sweet powdered sugar. These crunchy cookies are sturdy enough to transport making them ideal for gift giving.

Amazon Synopsis

It’s Jazz Fest in New Orleans, and the giant puppets from the Beastmaster Puppet Theatre are parading through the French Quarter. Some are very spooky and veiled, others are tall and gangly, like strange aliens.

As the parade proceeds, Carmela Bertrand and her best friend, Ava, follow behind, down Royal Street and past the food booths. Suddenly, they hear a terrible crash from Devon Dowling’s antiques shop. They rush inside to find Devon collapsed with blood streaming down the side of his face. Has he been shot? Stabbed? 911 is hastily called, and the police and EMTs show up. After the police examine Devon’s body, they tell Carmela and Ava that their friend was murdered with an icepick. They’re shocked beyond belief—and now Mimi, Devon’s little pug, is left homeless.

Carmela and Ava are determined to catch the murderer, but the list of suspects is long. How long do they have before they find themselves on the killer’s list?

A special thanks to Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran for providing two giveaway copies of MUMBO GUMBO MURDER. Contest ends October 15, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and limited to U.S. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Pecan Jazz Tarts

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
• Additional powdered sugar to roll cookies in

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Mix together butter, powdered sugar, flour, vanilla, and chopped pecans.

3. Roll out in small oblong balls and place on lightly greased (or parchment paper-lined) cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

5. Roll still-warm tarts in additional powdered sugar.

Notes

Yields 15 to 20 cookies

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 1 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
October 2 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT – Sapphyria’s Books
October 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
October 3 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 4 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
October 4 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
October 5 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 5 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
Oct 6 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 6 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 7 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
October 7 – Reading Is My SuperPower – GUEST POST
October 8 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
October 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
October 10 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW
October 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
October 11 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW
October 14 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
October 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 15 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW

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

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HAVE YOURSELF A BEARY LITTLE MURDER by Meg Macy is the third book in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series. Any book with a tag line of shamelessly adorable and a most darling book cover will grab my attention. Ms. Macy stays true to that promise by penning an adorable cozy mystery. The stage is set at the family owned Silver Bear Shop and Factory at Christmas time. The protagonist, Sasha Silverman, and her family are actively involved in the Silver Hollow annual tree light and Festival of Lights Parade. This highly popular village event gives the author plenty of opportunities to make the reader feel the spirit of the Christmas holiday with the various festivities, costumes, food, and fun, which I greatly enjoyed. The only downside, for me, is that too many characters were introduced because of the festival, and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who for a time. However, once Sasha got involved in trying to figure out who would want to murder the polar Santa-bear-costume-wearing mayor, the pace picked up and got back on track.

While on the surface the mayor seemed to be beloved by all, Sasha digs deeper and finds he had another side that was hidden from his constituents. This opens her investigation to many suspects, prompted, for once, by her own mother to find the villain. There were clues planted throughout which kept me guessing and turning pages until the heartwarming ending. I greatly enjoy how Sasha has a close relationship with her entire family and they work together to support and encourage each other. This, along with (need I say it again?) the adorable teddy bear shop brings a delightful cheer to an endearing holiday cozy read.

One of the events Sasha and her family are hosting during the festivities is a cookie competition. One of the entries is a Cranberry Walnut Cookie Balls and Ms. Macy was kind enough to provide the recipe for me to share. I loved the crunch of the walnuts in the cookie along with the tart sweetness of the cranberries. Easy to mix up and festive with the red cranberries dotting the shortbread-style cookie rolled in fluffy mounds of powdered sugar, this will be sure to add holiday cheer to any cookie platter!

Amazon Synopsis

This holiday season, teddy bear shop manager Sasha Silverman must solve the slaying of Santa Bear . . .

Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.

After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?

A special thanks to Meg Macy for providing one winner with a copy of HAVE YOURSELF A BEARY LITTLE MURDER. Contest ends Sunday, September 29, 2019 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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Cranberry Walnut Cookie Balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

2. Beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.

3. Gradually add the flour and salt and mix just until blended.

4. Stir in walnuts and dried cranberries.

5. Using a small cookie scoop, roll dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased baking sheet, or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep at least 1 inch space between cookie balls.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The bottoms should be lightly browned.

7. While cookies are baking, pour confectioners' sugar into a shallow bowl or pie plate.

8. Roll 4-5 hot cookie balls at a time into the confectioners' sugar until each cookie is well coated.

9. Place the coated cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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I’m delighted to be participating in the Great Escapes Virtual Book tour, introducing MULBERRY MISCHIEF!  This fourth book in the Berry Basket Mysteries by Sharon Farrow is a berrylicious addition to an entertaining series. The protagonist, Marlee Jacob, is a sweet young woman who has close friendships with her employees and gives of her time to make the town’s numerous events a success. As owner of the yummy Berry Basket shop, Marlee is well-versed in the properties of a multitude of berries. I enjoyed the bits and pieces of health benefits available by consuming berries that is shared in the story. While facts are woven in, they never detract from the pace of the tale.

The town is gearing up for the Haunted Halloween Harvest Health Fair, showcasing top celebrities in the fields of health and beauty. With the volunteers in costume and the decorations celebrating the spookiness of the season, the author captures the spirit of the holiday and the event. The town’s eccentric woman, Leticia, the Lady of the Lake, requests Marlee to sell her bags upon bags of mulberries to protect her and her “ghost”. This adds an element of Halloween as Marlee tries to find the ghost. As the story unfolds, an influential family and a long ago murder converges with a falsely accused teen and a new murder caused by a mulberry wood arrow. There were plenty of suspects that kept me guessing and plenty of action to keep me turning pages. As Marlee closes in on the identity of the killer, the suspense ratchets up until the final, edge-of-your-seat conclusion is reached.

Marlee’s Berry Basket chef, Theo, bakes all sorts of berry and mulberry-themed treats, such as Mulberry Thumbprint Cookies. When Ms. Farrow sent the recipe to me, I was excited. I’d never tasted mulberries, much less cooked with them and I was anxious to try. However, here in California I couldn’t find mulberries, no matter the season. I didn’t realize how regional this fruit is. Fortunately, I found some mulberry jam online and bought a jar. What I found is that while mulberries look very similar to blackberries, they are much sweeter. The mulberry jam pairs beautifully with the shortbread-style cookie dough and provides an enticing dark purple jewel in the middle of the baked cookie. Rest assured that if you don’t have access to mulberry jam, any of your favorite flavors will work in this recipe.

Amazon Synopsis

Autumn has arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan, but Marlee Jacob, proprietor of The Berry Basket, is feeling a chill for other reasons …

With the Harvest Health Fair in full swing, Marlee makes sure to stock up on elderberry products for cold and flu season. But this year there’s also a run on mulberry when an eccentric customer wants to use the dried berries to ward off evil forces. True, it’s almost Halloween, but something else seems to be spooking Leticia the Lake Lady, Oriole Point’s oddest resident. She believes someone plans to kill her—and the ghost. Only mulberries can protect them. Marlee doesn’t take her fears seriously until a man named Felix Bonaventure arrives in the village, asking questions about a mysterious woman.

The next day, Marlee finds Bonaventure dead on Leticia’s property—shot through the heart with an arrow made of mulberry wood. And Leticia has disappeared. Marlee soon learns the Lake Lady has a deadly past that is connected to the famous Sable family who are in town for the health fair. A bunch of clues start to come together—and figuring out what’s going on puts Marlee in a real jam …

A special thanks to Sharon Farrow for providing six giveaway copies of MULBERRY MISCHIEF. Contest ends September 8, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and limited to U.S. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Mulberry Thumbprint Cookies

As cookie fans know, thumbprint cookies are a longtime favorite at Christmastime. However, I love thumbprint cookies so much, I’d happily eat them year round. And in MULBERRY MISCHIEF, Marlee’s baker Theo makes mulberry thumbprint cookies for the festivities leading up to Halloween. Using The Berry Basket’s own mulberry jam, naturally. Of course, this classic recipe can be used with any number of berry jams, not just mulberries.

Ingredients

• 1 -1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup mulberry jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.

3. In another bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

4. Add dry ingredients to the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla mixture. Stir until blended.

5. Shape dough into small 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

6. If the dough is too sticky, refrigerate 45 - 60 minutes before shaping into balls.

7. With your thumb, indent each cookie center about 1/2-inch deep.

8. Spoon jam or preserves into each thumbprint.

9. Bake 13-14 minutes, or until cookie edges are golden. Makes 3 dozen.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 26 – I Read what You Write – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
August 27 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
August 28 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
August 28 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – GUEST POST
August 28 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Curling Up by The Fire – REVIEW
August 29 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – The Avid Reader – READER
August 30 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
August 31 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 31 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 1 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
September 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
September 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 3 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
September 4 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
September 4 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 5 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
September 5 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
September 6 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
September 7 – Teresa Watson’s Blog – REVIEW
September 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
September 8 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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