Playing With Bonbon Fire by Dorothy St. James...

I finished reading Playing with Bonbon Fire last night. I enjoyed this second in series mystery. This one is being published by Crooked Lane Books March 13th and it has a good mystery, even better is the ongoing mystery of who Charity's birth mother is. You can not help but feel for Charity who rightfully so goes by the name of Penn, her Paternal Grandmother made her feel unwelcome and unwanted her entire life and made sure everyone knew it, giving her the name Charity just to spite her existence.  This theme of being unwanted and not having a place to feel connected or part of is a very good theme in this series, it may seem impossible in many ways that anyone would be so cruel, but Penn has many qualities readers can relate too. I like that nothing is easy or perfect in this characters life,  that she is woefully pragmatic and yet hopeful and disillusioned at the same time. This book was a good read and I am pleased to have gotten the ARC to read and review. 

Chocolate shop owner Charity Penn is finally settling into life in the quirky South Carolina seaside town of Camellia Beach cooking up chocolate treats. She’s even helped organize the town’s lively beach music festival which has brought rollicking crowds eager to dance the Carolina shag. That is, until one of the band’s lead singers is found dead beside a beach bonfire.While also trying to balance the amorous attention of music star Bixby Lewis, in town for the festival, and her quest to perfect a new hot flavored bonbon, Charity dives into the investigation. Though it’s more spice than sugar when she discovers a threatening note, comes across decades of age-old secrets, and Bixby comes into the line of fire when a gas grill explodes on the deck of a beachfront house.Now Charity must turn up the heat and catch the killer before her chance melts away

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

On My Table and In My Cup May 20th-27th

Saturday morning and another week has flown by. Long cold winter and wet spring have given way to mid summer temps and the windows are open to get that much needed cross breeze and with the warm weather the ants have returned, and I am again at war....

 Several memorable events and activities this week, birthdays X3, a baby shower, honor choir concert, which I preformed in, a bake sale and more. This did not lend itself to much reading this week.

 I did however get a few reviews in, like Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James, This one is not out until September but one to preorder for sure. I really enjoyed how it read. Great mystery and start to a series!

The bake sale was Thursday and I baked more than 120 cookies this week to help support my son's upcoming Europe trip in 2018, the bake sale looks like it was a great success and I was thrilled to be reviewing an upcoming Holiday Cookies Cookbook, the Red Velvet Chocolate Crinkle Cookies turned out brilliantly. Some really great cookies in this book and the photos are fantastic. Out in September also this would make a really nice gift for a friend or yourself.

Maddie Hatter and The Deadly Diamond was another book I read and finished this week. It was a fun adventure mystery for those about 12 and older. Great Steampunk feel and adventure.

I am currently working my way through The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief by Lisa Tuttle.
I hope where you are this weekend you are able to enjoy the more gentle weather and company of those you like most.
Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James

Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James was a delightful and surprising cozy that is coming out in September 2017. I feel really excited to share about this first in series put out by Crooked Lane Books. I kept waiting to for this book to have some truly "Magical" revelations but it didn't and it read so well I was never quite sure right up until the end. I was sure this would turn out to be a paranormal cozy but it did not! There was so much suspect activity in this book, suspense and amazing chocolate. Great back story for main character Penn, fun way for her to finally come into her own. I appreciated the complexity of the relationships in this book and while the author could have taken some really tidy and easy ways out, she didn't. I was guessing until the very end and I so enjoyed that! I think this could be a really great cozy series. Look for it now and put it on your list, you are going to enjoy this early fall read!

When Charity Penn receives a letter saying she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina complete with free cooking lessons at the town’s seaside chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box, she’s immediately skeptical. She never entered any contest. Her former prep school friend offers to look into the phony prize—only to end up drowned in a vat of chocolate.Struck with guilt, Penn heads to the southern beach town to investigate why he was killed. But as wary as she is of the locals, she finds herself lured into their eccentric vibe, letting her defenses melt away and even learning the art of crafting delicious chocolates. That is, until delight turns bittersweet as she steps straight into the midst of a deadly plot to destroy the seaside town. Now, only Penn’s quick thinking and a mysterious cask of rare chocolate can save the town she’s learning to love.

You can pre order now on Amazon by clicking here.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com