A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckley.

I loved Julia Buckley's A Dark and Twisting Path. A read with all the feels, great suspense, mystery and ending. A favorite series for sure! Loved everything about it cover, title, characters and more.The idea of the writers apprentice series, really appealed to me from book one. From the first page of the first book to the last page of A Dark and Twisting Path, Julia captures the main character Lena perfectly, she is relatable, loveable, curious and calm. She is smart, creative and loyal. Through the three books the store arc really ebbs and flows and the books are a joy to read. A Dark and Twisting Path comes out  July 31st and it is a great summer read!

Writer's apprentice Lena London is happily working on a new collaboration with her idol and bestselling suspense novelist and friend Camilla Graham, but her joy is short-lived when a dark cloud descends upon the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana...

Lena's best friend, Allison, is in a panic. On a walk in the woods by her home, Allison discovers the body of her mail carrier, an argumentative man who recently had a falling out with Allison's husband. Lena quickly realizes that Allison has nothing to worry about as the murder weapon points to a different suspect altogether: Lena's embattled boyfriend, Sam West. 

Sam was cleared of his wife's murder when she was found alive, and now someone is trying to make him look guilty again. Surveillance video of a break-in at his house shows a shadowy figure trying to incriminate him by stealing the weapon from his desk. Lena and Camilla work on a suspect list, but a threatening note and a violent intrusion at Graham House prove that the devious killer has decided to write them into the plot.

You can pre order on Amazon (I am not an affiliate) 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

A Cup of Tea With Author Julia Buckley and A Giveaway of Pudding Up With Murder!

I am so pleased and excited to have Author Julia Buckley join us today and we have a copy of her latest book Pudding Up With Murder to give away from the Publisher Berkley.

Julia has kindly stopped by to answer some of my questions about her writing and her series.

Thank you Julia for joining us here today. How long did it take you to write Pudding Up With Murder?

Julia:  I think it took a few months. I had some ideas that had to be continued from Book Two, but some things still had to be plotted out. It was fun creating the whole Cantwell family. My agent had the idea for the series, and then I ran with it. The more I wrote about Lilah the more I loved her.

How do you come up with or create recipes to share in the series and the book?

Julia: I'm not great at creating recipes, so I start with a standard recipe that you might find in multiple books and then I just embellish it a bit to make it my own--add some ingredients or garnishes and of course write in my own narrative of how to bake something.

When you are writing what do you enjoy? Tea? Coffee?

Julia: I've never been a coffee drinker, even though my whole family drank it when I was a child, and my husband and sons drink it now! I just never developed a taste for it, although I love the aroma. I do like tea, especially in the cold months, so I'll have that or hot chocolate. I am also partial to Diet Coke.

How do you find time to write when you have a full time job?

Julia: That's the million dollar question. I don't always have time to write in the evenings (or sometimes I'm too tired to feel creative), so most of my writing is done on weekends or holidays and other times when I can grab and hour here or there. Somehow it always manages to work out so that I can meet my contractual obligations, but I do have book ideas that I would love to explore, across various genres, but I just don't have time for those, at least not at the present.
My day job is teaching English, and I love it, but it can be taxing sometimes, and often I come home feeling sort of depleted of brain power. It depends on the day, though. I love autumn, and when that cold weather kicks in I get twice the writing done because I come alive in fall. I do love my cozy mysteries. I don't know if this series will continue beyond book 3 (probably not), but I hope to create another series in the near future.

Thank you Julia for joining us here today!

If you would like the chance to win a copy of Pudding Up With Murder, please send me an email at karenmowen@gmail.com with PUDDING in the subject line, to be entered into a random draw which will be held September 15th. Contest Closes midnight PST September 14th. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received, Winner will be announced on Saturday September 16th.

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy chat with Author Julia Buckley. I would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Five Amigos Fall-O-ween Fun Week 2! Cozy Mysteries You Will Fall In Love With...

We are so happy to have you join us here today for our second week in our Fall-O-ween Fun, this week our Double Double Due of Karen and Karen are ready to share our picks of the week!

This time I am starting first! My choice for this weeks fall themed cozy is Lucy Arlington's Every Trick in the Book! 

Lila Wilkins has it all: the home of her dreams in the charming town of Inspiration Valley, North Carolina; a perfect police officer boyfriend; and a new job she absolutely loves. At the Book and Author Festival, which is sponsored by the Novel Idea Literary Agency, Lila expects to discover some talented new authors, but what she finds instead is the body of an editor to whom she bears an eerie resemblance. Trouble is, the editor’s death isn’t the only literary murder taking place. Soon a blossoming author is also killed, and Lila has a gut feeling that the two murders are linked. Now she must hunt down the dark figure who killed these women—and to her surprise, she just might find the clues hidden in a manuscript…

You can find it on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Karen K's choice today is Julia Buckley's The Big Chili! 

"This series debut is a must read! An entertaining start to a series that introduces the reader to Lilah Drake, who lives in Pine Haven, Illinois. Lilah’s covered dish business provides her clients with meals they can claim they cooked themselves. The characters and a well written mystery lend itself to a fun, engaging and appealing ride which will leave you guessing until the very end. The recipes included are also enticing."

Lilah Drake’s Covered Dish business discreetly provides the residents of Pine Haven, Illinois, with delicious, fresh-cooked meals they can claim they cooked themselves. But when one of her clandestine concoctions is used to poison a local woman, Lilah finds herself in a pot-load of trouble…After dreaming for years of owning her own catering company, Lilah has made a start into the food world through her Covered Dish business, covertly cooking for her neighbors who don’t have the time or skill to do so themselves, and allowing them to claim her culinary creations as their own. While her clientele is strong, their continued happiness depends on no one finding out who’s really behind the apron.So when someone drops dead at a church Bingo night moments after eating chili that Lilah made for a client, the anonymous chef finds herself getting stirred into a cauldron of secrets, lies, and murder—and going toe to toe with a very determined and very attractive detective. To keep her clients coming back and her business under wraps, Lilah will have to chop down the list of suspects fast, because this spicy killer has acquired a taste for homicide…

This is a first in series we both loved!  You can find it on Amazon.com by clicking here.

We are so thrilled you decided to spend part of your day with both of us! Don't forget to popover and visit our Amigos Mary, Lisa and Sheryl to see the choices they have made this week! 

Wondering what Mary has chosen today? Come check it out by clicking here! 

Wander over and see what Lisa has for us today over at Lisa K's Book Review by clicking here.

stop by and check out what our friend Sheryl has for us today over on Booth Talks Books by clicking here.

Thank you for joining us for a cup of tea and a fall cozy mystery to fall in love with! We love having you join us so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Pudding Up With Murder by Julia Buckley

I am so thrilled to be able to post a review about a book and series I just love! Pudding Up With Murder by Julia Buckley is out today and I can not wait for you to read it!

Pudding Up With Murder is book three in a series about a young, head strong chef who has a handful of food based part time jobs, a large loveable dog and a new relationship. In this story it is almost Spring and love is in the air, but so is family drama. Being invited to a backyard party Lilah and her dog Mick find themselves mixed up in another murder, but is everything as it seems? Families are complicated, love proves to be complicated and so does murder! I did not figure this one out until the end of the book, even though I thought I had! I think this is a brilliant series and Pudding Up with Murder was a great read! 

Customers trust Lilah Drake to keep her mouthwatering meals under wraps, but when a millionaire meets his untimely end, some sinister secrets become the main course. . . . Spring is right around the corner, and with the warmer temperatures come plenty of food requests from Lilah Drake's covered-dish clients. Lilah pulls out all the stops with a sweet new casserole for the birthday party of Marcus Cantwell, a wealthy curmudgeon who has some angry ex-wives and more than a few enemies. When he's found facedown in Lilah's casserole, it's anyone's guess as to who might have wanted the old man dead. A possible new heir to Marcus’s fortune adds some unexpected spice to the investigation, but Lilah fears that the old adage is true, and "the proof is in the pudding." 

You can find Pudding Up with Murder Julia Buckley on Amazon by clicking here 

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

On My Table and In My Cup August 12th to the 19th

What a crazy week that has just passed. I continue to recover from pneumonia and though I am on the mend I am not 100%, I spent Thursday back in hospital with Pleurisy, which is a posh word for inflammation of the lungs and had it been the early 1900's possibly fatal.  Thankfully the makers of Advil are my savior this week and I am hoping that I am on the mend. As I write this I am feeling ever so slightly better. The raging forest fires this summer have added to the slowness of recovery with the air quality not being the best for recovering. I try not to complain about it as many people have been displaced and their lives ruined due to these fires and I have only been inconvenienced.
Upon arriving home Thursday a delivery from Berkley arrived, with these two books for September and I am beside myself with excitement at the chance to read and review them.  Julia Buckley has become one of my most favorite authors and who doesn't love a great magical cat mystery?

I was blessed to receive to care packages in the mail this week from my friends Lin and Sheryl! Feeling the love this week!

Earlier this week my youngest son and I made carrot soup from all the rainbow carrots he grew over the summer. This carrot and rosemary soup was extra special knowing that he was so proud to harvest his own veggies this summer.

We have been so lucky to have moved to a home with an established orchard of Figs, we have been amazed at the bounty we have received and how much we can share with our friends and neighbors. Our landlords have been kind enough to allow us to harvest and process the figs... I have the most amazing friend who shared her recipe for Fig and Balsamic Jam!  It is almost gone and such a treat to have with crackers and cheese, or a turkey sandwich!

Carole shared her D.I.Y book with the recipe in it and we all made the jam. This was the first day I had visitors in two weeks and Squirrel would not leave my side, guarding me and caring for me these past two weeks. On my table and in my cup was the English Breakfast tea my dad picked up in London, the Westminster Abby Blend.  Last remaining Walkers Shortbread on the table too. I had lovely visits with Carole,  my friend Banafshe and her daughter Rana, who baked me a lovely chocolate cake, Hey-Jung, A-hin, Hoon who joined me for tea and fig jam, cheese and crackers.

 My friend Daniela who kindly visited twice with macarons and treats to lift my spirits. My sister, nieces, dad and in laws and puppy niece too! I felt lots of love this week.

There have been books too! I read loved and pre ordered my own copy of Monica Crosson's book The Magickal Family, it comes out in October and this lovely resource guide, self help and pagan life guide was such a wonderful read I can not wait to have it in my hands to refer to often.

VIctoria Laurie, wow 15th book in the series which is out now and a great read, lucky I am to have been able to read this book and its entire series, one of the first I ever bought and still love.

Chime and Punishment by Julianne Holmes I reviewed on Sunday, this was a surprisingly great read and a series I hope will continue.

Jean Flower's book Addressed to Kill the third book in the series was wonderful also. I can relate so much to the main character and love the idea of working at the post office. As a lifelong lover of mail and admirer of those who carry the mail this is a series I just love!

I will have the review of Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase tomorrow. This is a series that earned a place in my heart and favorites list late last year, book three was the best and I am thrilled to have had the chance to read it before it comes out this September.

I also finished From Ice To Ashes by fellow Sisters In Crime- Canada West Member Jessica Simon, I had 4 hours to read it mostly uninterrupted at the hospital on Thursday. Every time a nurse came to get me for a test or to take blood my nose was buried deep in this adventure mystery. I will have this review for you on Tuesday.

 While I did not have the voice to do a video on cozy mystery series this week I did manage to get one up on a favorite poetry series. I hope you will click this link to watch it. 

Thank you all who reached out this week and over the last few weeks, I am touched by your concern, generosity and friendship. Thank you all who continue to support me by visiting my blog here and the sponsors on the page.
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 6th to the 13th

No idea how the week has already come and gone, far to fast and yet a long time coming. This week has been a busy one for us as usual but I have had the good fortune to find time to read some lovely books this week and I have enjoyed a fair amount of  Murchie's tea.
I just started Bailey Cattrell's Nightshade For Warning. Bailey Catrell is also Bailey Cates and author I have enjoyed in the past. This was something I did not know when I requested it. I found this to be a happy coincidence.

I had Peg Cochran's Dead and Berried on my table this week along with

Ellery Adams Killer Characters, this was a very complex and sophisticated cozy, a must read for sure!

Death in Dark Blue was an outstanding read as well Julia Buckley has outdone herself in this suspenseful cozy mystery, I could not believe what I was reading and at one point wanted to throw the book across the room, I was so wrapped up in the story it was so good!

I also read Missed Spelled this week by an Australian Cozy Author Morgana Best. this was a free cozy that was an easy and enchanting read.

Mother's day is tomorrow and I shared my own Mother tea cup along with some wonderful Etsy ones. I wish you a very Happy Mother's day tomorrow to all who celebrate, I also wish you peace to all who mourn the loss of their mothers or motherhood in general. It is not the easiest of Sunday's for so many.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a week in review. I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow. I would love to hear from you so I invite you to leave a comment or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Death in Dark Blue By Julia Buckley

Oh boy what an amazing and suspenseful cozy Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley was! Most suspense I have felt in a book in a long time. I wanted to throw it across the room at one point, in disbelief and shock. It would be an understatement to say just that I "really enjoyed" this one, I loved it. I was blown away by the complex and compelling mystery this tightly woven story was. Still can not believe how this one ended and author Julia Buckley had me hook line and sinker all the way through Death in Dark Blue. Thank goodness it is already out and you do not have to wait to read this one.

In the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana, Lena London is settling into her dream job, but someone is making her life a nightmare…Things are beginning to go right for Lena. She’s got a new job assisting suspense novelist and friend, Camilla Graham. She lives rent-free in Camilla’s beautiful, Gothic house. She even has a handsome new boyfriend, Sam West.After being under attack by the media and his neighbors, Sam has recently been cleared of suspicion for murder. Journalists and townsfolk alike are remorseful, and one blogger would even like to apologize to him in person. But when she’s found dead behind Sam’s house, Lena must dodge paparazzi as she unravels the many mysteries that threaten to darken the skies of her little town and her newfound love with Sam.

To order your own copy of Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley on Amazon please click here.
Learn more about Julia Buckley and her writing 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

On My Table and In My Cup April 29th to May 6th

It has been a crazy week, so much has happened and it is hard to get my head around it all. This week has had its ups and fair share of downs, and I shall be glad to say goodbye to it!
I am happily distracted by the wonderful book Death in Dark Blue on my table today from Julia Buckley. It is hard to put down, but I have put it away reluctantly so I could write today's post. This one is out now and a dream to read.

My Puppy Niece and I snuck our teeth in to Kathleen Bridge's Ghostal living this week and loved it. This was a lovely addition to the series, Meg is a strong and wonderful character. Lots of gritty characters to suspect in this one, fun read for sure.

 I had a really bad reaction to Shelfish this week and am now the proud/reluctant owner of an Epi Pen. The doctor pointed out to me that had I eaten a prawn he and I would not be having the conversation we were having as I would not be here to hear it,  and that any woman who carried a purse as big as mine had no excuse for not carrying one. In my defence 20 years ago when I learned of my allergy no one had epi pens. It was not the way I hoped to spend my mother in laws 70th birthday dinner but she kindly saved me cake. Also my husband kindly brought my book to the hospital and as the medicine wore off enough I was able to read one chapter.

Home and able to share my tribute to Star Wars day, though without my normal energy, I love using my teapot a birthday gift a few years back from my sisters and nieces and nephews. It is too cute.

I was thrilled this week too! In addition to getting a very advanced reading copy of CeeCee James book this week Booked for Murder, if you have a good eye you may have noticed a new teacup on my table. I was over the moon to find a 1940's Shelley Tea Cup at a local charity shop for $20.

While my teacups are in use regularly and not really a collection that just sit and collect dust. I may have to put this one on the shelf occasionally for display, though this one is so pretty it is hard not to want to use it every day. I love the shape and feel of it, a prize find for sure and a great addition to my working collection. I have used it a few times this week, with my Vanilla Black tea from Murchies and a few cups of  Peppermint tea.

Alice Loweecey had me laughing this week with her delightful book The Clock Strikes Nun, this one is out at the end of the month and such a fantastic series! Also all these apples are gone! Looking at this photo reminds me of how much my kids are growing and how fast they can consume these tasty treats, I must pick up a few more bags this week!

Sunday I shared my review of Meg Macy's new series about a teddy bear shop. I think this book is a great idea for a cozy series! I hope you will too.

This week I got some wonderful new releases to make my way through and downloaded some great treasures as well on my kindle app. I feel so lucky to be able to read and review what I do and even more grateful to have you here to join me for a cup of tea and a week in review.
I look forward to sharing more with you soon. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com