I was delighted to have the chance to read an early copy of FATALITY BY FIRELIGHT, the second book in the Cat Latimer Mystery series, by Lynn Cahoon. I love the location and premise of this series: a bed-and-breakfast writers’ retreat tucked away in the mountains of Aspen Hills, Colorado. Cat Latimer is owner and hostess of the retreat with her good friend, Shauna Mary, providing delicious meals and snacks. Cat is also an author and runs the writing retreats to earn money so that she can write full time. Except that with her demanding guests, an unforeseen murder investigation, and one of her young, sweet guests a suspect, she doesn’t have much time on her hands. I admired that even though Cat is an introvert, she pushes herself to spend time socializing with her guests and takes it upon herself to help clear the romance writer’s name. After moving back to Aspen Hills, Cat has also reconnected with her old flame, Seth. She’s struggling to move forward in their relationship due to the uncertainty surrounding her ex-husband’s death…who, by the way, bequeathed the huge house to her. The author allows us glimpses of Cat’s emotions that make her seem real and builds a connection to her.
The main murder plot of discovering who killed local bad boy, Tommy, is also woven around several subplots. The enigma of Cat’s ex-husband’s untimely demise is a mystery that first started in the first book, continues in FATALITY BY FIRELIGHT, and will be continued in the next book. Cat also gets involved in trying to help figure out who is stealing rare books from the town’s college library. Could the tall, dark, and handsome mysterious stranger, who just so happens to know her name, have anything to do with the turmoil surrounding Cat? The author expertly juggles, tangles, and weaves the various threads of the story into one cohesive read that had me turning pages faster and faster!
While the book does not contain recipes, Shauna bakes up many mouth-watering treats for all the writers and you’ll definitely get hungry while reading! I was honored when Lynn asked if I would like to create a recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese-Filled Muffins to go along with the book. I had fun experimenting and came up with this rich, flavorful pumpkin muffin that combines a sweet, yet tangy creamy center with streusel topping adding extra texture and visual appeal. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has!
Amazon Synopsis
Cat Latimer’s Colorado bed-and-breakfast plays host to writers from all over. But murder is distinctly unwelcome . . .
To kick off a winter writing retreat, Cat and her handyman boyfriend, Seth, escort the aspiring authors to a nearby ski resort, hoping some fresh cold air will wake up their creative muses. But instead of hitting the slopes, they hit the bar—and before long, a tipsy romance novelist named Christina is keeping herself warm with a local ski bum who might have neglected to tell her about his upcoming wedding.
Next thing Cat knows, her uncle, the town sheriff, informs her that the young man’s been found dead in a hot tub—and Christina shows up crying and covered in blood. Now, between a murder mystery, the theft of a rare Hemingway edition, and the arrival of a black-clad stranger in snowy Aspen Hills, Cat’s afraid everything’s going downhill . . .
A special thanks to Lynn Cahoon for providing a signed copy of FATALITY BY FIRELIGHT for one lucky winner! (Please be aware that it is an Advanced Readers Copy.) Contest ends Monday, February 27, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST, and 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!).
Ingredients
- 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup milk (2% or whole)
- 1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats (not instant!)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and spritz the liners with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt together. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work in the butter until coarse crumbs appear. Set aside.
- Beat the softened cream cheese together with the sugar and vanilla until creamy and no lumps remain. Set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 1 minute.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the pumpkin and vanilla until well combined. (It's okay if it looks a bit curdled.)
- Add half the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, beating until mostly incorporated.
- Stir in the milk and then add remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined.
- Fill each muffin cup 1/3 way full with batter.
- Add 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling to center of each muffin cup and top with remaining pumpkin batter, filling cup at least 3/4 full.
- Add a generous amount of streusel mixture to each muffin.
- Bake muffins 18 - 20 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted at the side of the muffin should come out mostly clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Eat within 2 - 3 hours and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The muffins can also be well-wrapped and frozen for up to a month.
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I received a copy of this book and willingly provided a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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As always it is a delight to host your wonderful books on my blog! Thanks for sharing your stories with us readers!
Before I met my husband 22 years ago, I skied several times a year (as did he). But then we met, he taught me to play golf, and I discovered I’d rather be in warm weather golfing than freezing and struggling with ski equipment…and neither of us ever skied since then.
I live in Pennsylvania by several ski resorts so skiing s part of winter life.
Pumpkin muffins are my favourite! Now I have a different recipe for them. Thank you for the giveaway.
I don’t know how to ski, and at my age, would probably break a leg or worse! Thanks for the giveaway!
No ski vacations but I did a little bit of cross=country skiing back in the 70s. Very little!
I don’t sky and never had, great review thank you, love the recipe
Penney
LOL! That is ski! not sky.
I love Lynn Cahoon’s books and can’t wait to read this one. I used to love to ski and used used to go once a year. There is no skiing where I live, so we always went to Colorado. Breckinridge Colorado was my favorite place to ski
I have been to ski lodges but have never skied.
Love the looks of this receipe. Yum!
I have skied in the past in Colorado many times and New York State. I love Lyn’s latest series.
Did ages ago. We lived near Ski Bowl and would go there every other year or so. Went to one in CA one year. But it has been a long time since the last time we skied.
No. I can’t ski. But I love to sit in front of a fireplace and drink a hot toddie or a glass of wine
Skiing is not for me. A couple of times ice skating & lots of sled rides in my younger days is about it for me & snow. LOL Thanks for the chance to win.
I have never skied in my life but would love to some day. It just looks like it would be so much fun. Can’t wait to read Lynn’s new book!! It looks like another great read!!
I have never taken a snow ski vacation
No, we don’t ski. But the downtime in the chalet sounds good!
I have never been skiing but it always looked wonderful for the people who could glide into the snow and I love movies showing it…i.e. The Pink Panther…thank you for the review and chance.
Marilyn [email protected]
Looking forward to this installment. Yes, I have been on a ski vacation.
I heard good things about this author her books, but haven’t had the chance to read them myself yet. Glad to hear this was a good read and I like the sound of the subplots alongside the main mystery. And this recipe sounds so good! I haven’t been able to find a good pumpkin muffin recipe yet, so I am pinning this one so i can try it eventually! Thanks!
Lots of ski vacations in high school and college — now that my husband, daughter and I live right by several ski runs, we don’t ski anymore! 🙁 – go figure….
No, I’ve never taken a snow ski vacation.
I love this recipe, would really like to start this series too and no I’ve never been skiing, I’m much too scared to even want to try!
No ski vacations for me. Thank you for the recipe and chance to win.
I once went skiing—put on the ski boots and fell down, never put on the skis. So no ski vacations for me.
I don’t ski but do love anything pumpkin and I don’t care what month it is, there’s always a can of LIBBY’S pumpkin in my cupboard
Although I live in NH, I prefer warmer weather and hence, wouldn’t go on a ski vacation unless it consisted of wine and a fireplace where I could read a book or two.
I love pumpkin everything!!! Can’t wait to try these muffins. And I can’t wait for this book! I love everything I’ve read by Lynn. The Tourist Trap Mysteries are one of my absolute top favorite
Never went on a ski vacation. But would love to win a signed copy of Fatality By Firelight. Thank you for the chance.
I am not a person who likes heights so downhill skiing began and ended the one time that I tried it at a friend’s Insustence. I used to ice skate and did a bit of cross country skiing in my teens and twenties but then decided to retire from winter activities other than making snowmen and sitting by an outdoor bonfire. Great blog post.
Cynthia B
No I can;t ski but my son has taken many snowboard and he just loves it. In fact he lived in a friends cabin for about 9 mo and loved living there just no jobs he did like being a head cook at a restaurant up there but missed mom. I just love Lynns books I am one of her biggest fans and am so so happy that she is offfering a print book. This is really special as i know that giving away one of her books is rare and i am just thrilled Kim that you got her and love the recipe that she provided. Hugs to Lynn and Kim !!
Nope, I prefer the snow from the inside looking out. Great recipe, hubby loves pumpkin, will definitely be making this. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m currently reading A Story to Kill. I love it and can’t wait to continue the series.
No, I’ve never taken a ski vacation, at this point in my life I don’t think that I will unless it’s to sit in a lodge and enjoy the scenery. Thanks for the recipe, it sounds great, I’ve got to try it.
I am such a klutz that to try snow skiing could be very dangerous!
I have never skied on snow, only water.
i’ve never been snow skiing but i have gone sledding a time or two. sledding sounds good right about now ifi could come home to a warm cup of chocolate and these muffins!
I have never been skiing. My mom always said it was too dangerous.
Clever you to come up with this tasty recipe!
In the south skiing meant water skiing! (with a boat) I love pumpkin muffins.
Yes we have snow skied in Gatlinburg, TN many times.
no ski vacations for me
I don’t take ski vacations, I rather go somewhere warm in the winter.
I learned early that skiing wasn’t really my thing, but snowmobiles, ski lodges, hot toddies, ski boots, fur-lined parkas, and ski instructors are! I have been to several ski resorts in the Sierras enjoying lots of fabulous moments off the slopes.
No I do not ski. I used to ice skate when I was younger.
I’ve never taken a ski vacation. I don’t ski so I guess a ski vacation would be lost on me. 🙂
Cats and pumpkin. Can’t get any better than that. Have to get this book. It sounds so good.
I’ve never skied, because knowing how many times I have sprained my ankle I would surely break my leg. I need to try this recipe. Thanks for this generous giveaway.
I’ve never been on a snow ski vacation. I grew up in Daytona Beach & we never had snow. Later when I moved to Georgia I was too busy working to think of vacations. Even when we had to travel for work, we never went anywhere with snow. I always thought it sounded like a lot of fun, but I’d probably be sipping hot chocolate by the roaring fireplace & admiring the snowflakes coming down outside.
No I haven’t. I want to make those muffins! And read the book!
Just finished book one can’t wait for number two
This sounds like a great mystery read. The muffins look so yummy!
I would love to win this book. I have. the first book. The title is awesome. I hope I have a chance. Thank you.
I have never been snow-skiing or water-skiing for that matter. Sledding is more my speed, haha.
i have never taken ski vacations alto most of my sisters and brothers and nieces and nephews have. thanks for chance
funny as it is i grew up in buffalo but have never skiied!
I haven’t ever been skiing. Growing up in South GA, we see very little snow.
No, never went skiing before. I wish I had tried it when I was younger, looks like fun.
No, I’ve never skied. I grew up and still live in Florida, so I’m not used to snow. I like warm weather best. ?
I have never skied. I’ve always admired people who can do the various tricks on skis. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net
I have never skied and do not think I ever will. Vickiela3@ hotmail.com
It’s been years — over 30 years! Hubby was stationed in Germany when kids were young. The Boy Scouts troupe on base sponsored a ski trip every years to Bavaria area. So fun. I spent more time falling than skiing. The first trip my German ski instructor was the spittin’ image of Bruce Bixleitner [Scarecrow & Mrs King ; How the West Was Won ; Babylon 5].
NEVER HAVE BEEN SKIING. THANKS FOR THE CHANCE.