Silent Winter Solstice by Bonnie Oldre

A Beth and Evie Mystery Book 1

Winter Solstice, 1968. While most of the world is transfixed by the televised images of the first manned lunar orbit, Beth Williams rushes through the eerie quiet of her home-town city park trying to get to work on time. Suddenly, a body rolls down the hill and lands near her feet. She glimpses a shadowy figure at the top of the hill. But, before the police arrive, the body disappears and they dismiss the whole thing as a drunk who fell, was stunned, and then wandered off after regaining consciousness. However, Beth is certain that a murder was committed. She and her best friend, Evie Hanson, both mystery novel buffs, decide to investigate. The menace grows when Beth discovers she is being followed around town. Beth and Evie realize they must solve the case before it is too late.

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09NZC296H
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gatekeeper Press (December 20, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 20, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1346 KB

My Review

What do you do when it is 1968, before cell phones were invented and you find a dead body in the snow? You run to the library, where you work as a Library Assistant so you can call the police. Unfortunately, the time it took to report the death also provided the murderer with the time to hide the body. Or was the person alive and knocked out, woke up and walked off? Beth Williams was second-guessing herself when the police couldn’t find evidence of foul play.

I liked the fact this mystery was set in 1968 when life was simpler and life in small communities was laid back and residents trusted one another. The author captured the time period perfectly. The writing style was easy to read, and the plot kept me turning pages. It didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat like thrillers do but its style was perfect for a cozy read.  It was a tantalizing read for a relaxing afternoon.

About The Author

I always loved books. My library card was a prized childhood possession. In the summer, I spent hours at the library happily turning pages with fingers wrinkled from playing in the adjacent city swimming pool. Reading transported me to a new world. I was interested in everything. Some of my favorites included the Hardy Boys and Sherlock Holmes stories, and later, Agatha Christie’s novels.

I developed a life-long passion for writing when a poem I wrote was published in my high school’s anthology. After earning a degree in English Literature from the University of Minnesota, my first publishing job was copy-editing church bulletins in the morning and delivering them in the afternoon! I was also a volunteer writer and editor for our neighborhood newspaper and sold a couple of short stories. But that didn’t pay the bills, so I went to graduate school and became a librarian.

The desire to write never diminished and ultimately propelled me into taking writing classes at the Loft Literary Center and the University of Minnesota. A life-long resident of Minnesota, my husband and I have two grown sons and a tribe of grandchildren. We, and our pet cat, Chocolate, live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bonnie also writes historical fiction as B.K. Oldre.

https://bonnieoldre.com/

Bad Vibes by Diane Weiner

Bad Vibes-A Sara Baron Tuned-In Mystery

Oboist Sara Baron is settling nicely into her new life back in her hometown, but when a friend goes missing under suspicious circumstances, her newfound equilibrium is thrown off balance. The police don’t suspect foul play, but Sara gets a bad vibe when she finds her friend Micah blew off a meeting with his dissertation chair and has been ghosting his girlfriend. Playing amateur sleuth, she uncovers secrets from Micah’s past which make her wonder if she ever knew her friend at all. Meanwhile, Sara has a secret of her own. One which could change her life forever.

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B7TT4Z46
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 31, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 194 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1952579481
  • Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Diane Weiner

Diane Weiner, the award-winning author of The Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries, The Sugarbury Falls Mysteries, and The Sara Baron Tuned-in Mysteries, is a veteran public school teacher and mother of four grown children. Being an animal lover, she is a vegetarian and shares her home with two precious cats—a calico named Callie and a gray tabby, Chelsea. In her free time, she enjoys running, shopping, attending theater productions, watching British mysteries on Britbox, and spending time with her family. A favorite way to destress involves turning down the lights, cranking down the air-conditioning (she lives in Florida), and getting lost in the scenery and mystery of Wales, Scotland, or England by watching shows such as Hinterland, Shetland, and Vera.

My Review

I am never disappointed when I pick up a Diane Weiner Cozy Mystery, no matter what series. Bad Vibes is the third book in her Sara Baron Tuned In Series. In Bad Vibes Sara moves back to her home town and as always, life is never what you expect when you go home again. Reconnecting with her family business in the craft of making custom oboes, she feels the warmth of being near her family but the death of a friend rocks her world. This mystery has romance, a family feel, and of course an enthralling mystery. Put on your amateur sleuth hat. As always with Ms Weiner’s mysteries, it is well-written and a good addition to the Sara Baron Tuned-In Mystery Series.

To learn more about the author, visit her website: www.dianeweinerauthor.com, or follow her on Facebook (dianeweinerauthor), Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub.

Download a free book as a gift and to introduce you to Diane’s series.

Murder In Training by Diane Weiner

When a retired teacher and her bestie join a training class with the goal of walking a breast cancer charity race, they run into a speedbump when a member of the group is murdered in the park. He had no shortage of enemies. Blackmail, harassment, and smuggling top the list of motives. Susan and Valerie both have detective daughters who for once request their mothers’ help. Their inroads with the training group put the amateur sleuths in a position to gather and pass along information. Meanwhile, Susan receives a mysterious gift on her doorstep and has no idea what it is or who sent it. Valerie questions whether or not it’s time to start dating again after losing her husband. And Susan’s daughter has a secret of her own.

My Review

Murder in Training is a welcome addition to the Susan Wiles Cozy Series by Author Diane Weiner. I’ve read every book in this series. I anticipate and anxiously wait for the next one. I was not disappointed in the continuation of the series.

Each book takes you deeper into the background of the characters, drawing you in and making you care about their lives. I was hoped the author would keep the characters of Valerie and Jazzy from her previous book and she did. They are the perfect pairing for Susan and her daughter Lynnette, adding a level of friendship we all yearn for and can identify with.

As always, Susan and her friends are smack dab in the middle of trouble, sometimes involving their unwilling families. How many of us have experienced that? I’m not a walker and one thing this book made me want to do was join a walking club, not to get healthier but to experience the joys of the friendship it brought. However, I’ll not be dropping into any murders. Added to my enjoyment was the description of goodies to bake. I wish the author had included some of the recipes in the back of the book, perhaps in the future?

I recommend this entire series. It keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see what Susan Wiles is up to next.

About the Author

Diane Weiner, award-winning author of The Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries, The Sugarbury Falls Mysteries, and The Sara Baron Tuned-in Mysteries, is a veteran public school teacher and mother of four grown children. Being an animal lover, she is a vegetarian and shares her home with two precious cats—a calico named Callie and a gray tabby, Chelsea. In her free time, she enjoys running, shopping, attending theater productions, watching British mysteries on Britbox, and spending time with her family. A favorite way to destress involves turning down the lights, cranking down the air-conditioning (she lives in Florida), and getting lost in the scenery and mystery of Wales, Scotland, or England by watching shows such as Hinterland,Shetland, and Vera. To learn more about the author, visit her website http://www.dianeweinerauthor.com, or follow her on Facebook (dianeweinerauthor), Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. Contact the author at dianeweinerauthor@gmail.com.

Diane Weiner can be found at:

Website

Amazon

Audible

Interviewing Lisa Kelley from Lisa K’s Book REviews

You can find Lisa at : Lisa K’s Book Reviews

Meet Author Abby Collette

Abby Collette is one of the pen names for Author Abby Vandiver. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Abby on my YouTube channel, The Pink Percolator. I hope you take the time to meet Abby too.

A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette

  • First In Series. An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery
  • Publisher : Berkley (May 12, 2020)
  • Publication date : May 12, 2020
  • Print length : 383 pages

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family’s ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she’s going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away.

To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It’s not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she’ll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown…

My Review

A Deadly Inside Scoop

Within the first few chapters of this book, I craved ice cream, not just any ice cream but ice cream from Crewse Creamery in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Popcorn Ice Cream, Cherry Amaretto Chocolate Chunk, and ice cream made from snow made my lips tingle with anticipation. Bronwyn Crewse was home and bringing her family’s ice cream shop back to life

Author Abby Vandiver writes under the pen name Abby Collette for her Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries. This was the first in this series that I’ve read but knowing her talent from her previous works, I had no doubt this one would hold my attention and bring me a few hours of reading pleasure. I was right.

Immediately we are drawn into the murder with a wide variety of suspects, some in Bronwyn’s own family, and since she was the unfortunate person to find the body, they include her in the group of suspects. Her family comprises unique personalities that enhance the mystery, along with quirky friends who add moments of fun.

One trait of this mystery I liked was the closeness of family. They still have dinners together. There is something about a family dinner that brings us close and bonds family members, but in this book, it also bonds us to the family.

This is an excellent read by a talented author. I highly recommend it. And if you’re like me, craving ice cream after reading this book, Grandma Kay’s Snow Ice Cream recipe in the back of the book might be one you want to try along with the others. Happy reading.

About The Author

WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, and internationally best selling author, Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette, has always enjoyed writing, combining that with her gift for telling stories and love of mystery, she became an author.

Abby’s an hybrid author. Her debut novel, In the Beginning and its sequels, Irrefutable Proof and Incarnate are fact mixed with fiction, mystery/sci-fi novels not written as action packed or fast paced, but as “what-if” alternative history stories. After those books were published, Abby switched to writing cozy mysteries. Finding much success, she has three series so far, Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery, Normal Junction Cozy Mystery and Tiny House Mysteries, all self-published. In 2017, she contracted with Henery Press for a 3-book deal to pen the series Romaine Wilder Mysteries. Her new #ownvoice cozy mystery series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery by Berkley Penguin will debut in May 2020. The first book in the series is A Deadly Inside Scoop. Abby is represented by Rachel M. Brooks at Bookends Literary Agency.

Although she writes mostly mystery, Abby has co-written a historical/women’s fiction novel with author and friend, Kathryn Dionne under the pen name Kathryn Longino, and a Kindle World, historical/sci-fi fiction book, Countdown to Atlantis. That book was inspired by the A.G. Riddle’s book, The Atlantis Gene.

Abby, a former lawyer and college professor, has a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a master’s in Public Administration, and a Juris Doctor. A lifetime resident of Cleveland, Ohio, Abby spends all of her time writing and enjoying her wonderful grandchildren.

Abby’s got many more books to come, so stay tuned!

Visit her: www.abbyvandiver.com
Email her: abbylvandiver@aol.com
Follow her: @AbbyVandiver
Keep up with new releases: www.bookbub.com/authors/abby-l-vandiver

Meet Author Diane Weiner

Diane Weiner, award-winning author of The Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries, The Sugarbury Falls Mysteries, and The Sara Baron Tuned-in Mysteries, is a veteran public school teacher and mother of four grown children. Being an animal lover, she is a vegetarian and shares her home with two precious cats–a calico named Callie and a gray tabby, Chelsea. In her free time, she enjoys running, shopping, attending theater productions, watching British mysteries on Britbox, and spending time with her family. A favorite way to destress involves turning down the lights, cranking down the air-conditioning (she lives in Florida), and getting lost in the scenery and mystery of Wales, Scotland, or England by watching shows such as Hinterland,Shetland, and Vera. To learn more about the author, visit her website http://www.dianeweinerauthor.com, or follow her on Facebook (dianeweinerauthor), Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. Contact the author at dianeweinerauthor@gmail.com.

  • ASIN : B08QH3TPHH
  • Publisher : Cozy Cat Press (December 12, 2020)
  • Publication date : December 12, 2020
  • Language: : English
  • Print length : 153 pages

When the dear friend of the town’s beloved innkeeper is murdered, sleuthing couple Emily and Henry Fox don’t hesitate to step in. Something’s fishy regarding the property the victim recently purchased. The previous owner wants it back, the neighbors want it vacant, and the next of kin who stands to inherit the property is missing! Meanwhile, Henry and Emily’s daughter, Maddy, may be in grave danger. Maddy’s biological father has been prematurely released from prison due to a city-wide health crisis. When he shows up in Sugarbury Falls, Henry is determined to protect his daughter at any cost.

Buy Here

Sugarbury Falls is one of my favorite fictional places to visit. an The Sinister Course by Diane Weiner is set in Sugarbury Falls and is  book #6 in the Sugarbury Falls mysteries. I am never disapointed in the series.

Once again we find Emily and Henry embroiled in a mystery that has twists and turns which lead us on another adventure in a small community where we feel welcomed. Ms Weiner doesn’t mess around when introducing us to murder. I always get restless if I have to wait for the mystery or murder to take off in the middle of the book but in The Sinister Course we  are plunged into it in the first few chapters.

You can read the synopsis above to get the gooey tidbits about the book but I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

One of the other perks of this series is the charming businesses in Sugarbury Falls, the Outside Inn being one of them run by Coralee, a comfortable welcoming character. She would be our best go to when we needed comforting if we were actually living in the book.

The Sinister Course is a comfortable read, has solid characters and is the perfect book to curl up with by the fireplace and read for an afternoon.

As always we are left with enough of a tease that we are left wanting for the next book to already be written. I love that part of these mysteries as I do that myself in mine.

I have now read this entire series. Make sure you also check out her Susan Wiles Schoolhouse Mysteries and the Sara Barton Tuned-In Mysteries. Enjoy.

Visit Diane on Amazon