A Christmas Peril by J.A. Hennrikus

Thursday last week I sat down to read A Christmas Peril, by J.A. Hennrikus. I did not know at the time that J.A. Hennrikus is also author Julianne Holmes, though I should have known by the excellence in the way the story was written! A Christmas Peril centers around a retired police officer who is now a theater company general manager. The death of a prominent member of the community who is not well loved and who is distantly related to main character Edwina, who goes by Sully, has her pulled into a no win situation! On top of the family drama, the theater production of A Christmas Carol is not coming together as hoped or planned and so much is riding on its success. In true cozy mystery spirit, two love interests both with history and intrigue, help and hinder Sully's ability to concentrate on what is now both her jobs, the murder mystery and the overseeing of the Christmas play! I was blown away with how this one played out and I had no idea until the reveal who or why the murders happened and who was behind it all. Loved this one and it was a great read! This one is out September 8th by Midnight Ink and one you will not want to put down! I love this cover so much as well, it is one I would pick up in a shop for sure!

Sully Must Get Her Childhood Friend Off the Naughty List Before They’re Both Scrooged

When Edwina “Sully” Sullivan’s life imploded, she left behind her job on the police force and her unfaithful husband to start a new life as the general manager of her hometown theater, the Cliffside Theater Company.

For five years, she focused on budgets instead of crime and kept the Cliffside running alongside its mercurial artistic director. But when her childhood friend is suspected of killing his father, no one is looking for another culprit. So, in between keeping A Christmas Carol on budget and Scrooge sober, Sully dusts off her investigative skills to find a murderer. Her two lives collide when her ex-husband arrives on the scene to play lawyer and she’s forced to confront her past in order to save her present.

You can pre order this cozy from 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

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

Chime and Punishment by Julianne Holmes

Thursday I read Julianne Holmes second book in the Clock Shop Mystery series called Chime and Punishment. I did not read book one and yet I felt like I could follow along and understand the story line very well. Main character Ruth is likeable and admirable, running her family clock shop, which has been around for more than 100 years. She is dedicated and enthusiastic about her work and her small town. Getting the clock tower up and running is as much about bringing the community together as it is the focus of the book. I loved the characters, even the ill fated Town Manager who I too was not sad when she turns up dead. I was guessing for quite a few chapters about who the killer was and I did figure it out before the big reveal but I did not put all the pieces together with out the help of the author. I really enjoyed this, I was not sure I would as the subject matter may not have appealed to me right away. I love the cover and the whole story. This was a very pleasant surprise for me. This one is already out and ready for your to enjoy!

 Expert clockmaker Ruth Clagan has another murder on her hands in the third Clock Shop Mystery from the author of Clock and Dagger.
 Years ago, the serenity of picturesque Orchard, Massachusetts, was shattered by a fire that destroyed the town's beloved clock tower. Ruth inherited the dream of repairing it from her late grandfather. Now that she’s returned home to run his clock shop, the Cog & Sprocket, she’s determined to make it happen, despite wrenches that are being thrown into the works by her least favorite person, town manager Kim Gray.A crowd of residents and visitors are excited to see the progress of the tower at a fund-raiser for the campaign, until Kim is found crushed under the tower’s bell, putting an end to all the fun. The list of suspects is so long it could be read around the clock, and it includes some of Ruth’s nearest and dearest.

Time's a-wastin’ as Ruth tries to solve another murder in her beloved Orchard while keeping the gears clicking on her dream project.

I enjoyed this book and if you would like to read it too you can find it 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 

On My Table and In My Cup August 5th -12th

On my table this week I have had so may wonderful things, while I have largely been sleeping on the couch and not awake more than 4 hours a day, I have been truly spoiled. I am starting to feel better, more like myself but with an exhaustion I never imagined possible and I have been tired for 16+ years. I honestly don't remember sleeping this much ever.  I am slowly getting back to what I love and enjoy.
My sister her family and my father have been traveling in the UK for the last few weeks, my father returned earlier this week with a care package from my sister filled with some lovely delights from Fortnum and Mason. Jams, Lemon curd and the most wonderful Cranberry Black Tea which I fell in love with when my mother in law brought me a tin a few years back.

My dad brought me back some Westminster tea, matching tea towel, magnet and a lovely bookmark that says Owen on it from Westminster Abby, I also got a magnet from Paris as well. Like I said spoiled.

I read a few books this week, not much else I have been up to, I enjoyed A Witchy Business by D.S. Butler, a cozy I downloaded free from Amazon. It was a lovely read and distraction.

I read through Crystal Paine's Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, a book I bought on Amazon when I was in the hospital. This one has some great tips on organization and prioritization. Some of the suggestions are things I already do so it was more of a affirmation for me, it does however have more religious based tips than I would normally choose to read.

I have started a new Wednesday feature called Witchy Wednesday. In my research and curiosity about witches and witchcraft I have the opportunity to read and review books that pertain to a passion of mine. I hope to someday write a series about witches that are true to their nature and share what I love most about it. Growing up I loved Bewitched, Mary Poppins and as I grew, professor Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter. These qualities of witches I hope will form a great series that is playing in my head and hope to oneday get published for all to read.  Hedge Witch Book Of Days is a great read and one that I am thrilled to have found at Powell's Books. In answer to a question I often get asked, yes I do buy my own books, while I am lucky to review many as ARC, I do still buy and read books of my own choosing.

I feel very lucky when I get selected to read ARC of series I have fallen in love with. Ellen Byron has a great Cajun Country Mystery series with characters you will come to think of as family.  Reading about Christmas in August was a lovely escape for me, my only regret is I have to wait that much longer for her next book!  This one I enjoyed and delighted in.

I will have my review of Julianne Holmes  book Chime and Punishment for you tomorrow. Spoiler alert I could not put it down. More on that tomorrow.

 I have just started Victoria Laurie's 15th Book in the Psychic Eye series, this book is out now as I am behind in my reviews and a series I have enjoyed for years.

 In my cup this week I have been enjoying the Fortnum and Mason Cranberry Black tea,

Stash Mellow Moments Tea, really enjoying this one.

As well as my old standby my favorite Murchie's Vanilla Black tea.

The winner of our Granny Hooks A Crook book by Julie Seedorf was Laurie Iglesias. Thank you to all who entered.


Oh and I almost forgot! I made a Friday Spotlight Video click here for a link to the video on my channel. 
Thank you for taking the time to join me for a cup of tea and a week in review.  I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com