The Madness of Mercury

Zodiac Mystery, #1

Connie di Marco

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: June 8, 2016
Number of pages: 312

Mercury retrograde wreaks havoc on astrologer Julia Bonatti

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti's life is turned upside down when she becomes the target of the city's newest cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet's Tabernacle. Driven out of her apartment in the midst of a disastrous Mercury retrograde period, she takes shelter with a client who's caring for two elderly aunts. One aunt appears stricken with dementia and the other has fallen under the spell of the Reverend Roy. To add to the confusion, a young man claiming to be a long lost nephew arrives. The longer he stays, the more dangerous things become. Is the young man truly a member of the family? Can astrology confirm that? Julia's not sure, but one thing she does know is that Mercury wasn't merely the messenger of the gods—he was a trickster and a liar as well.

Guest Post: 

There’s a lot of thought that goes into creating the world of a series. A plot, a setting, a protagonist, and his or her relationships and connections. I really can’t say why my protagonist, Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer, needed to have a cat – a black cat at that. Maybe I felt bad for her, living all alone after losing the love of her life. Hey, maybe that’s even a good story – ‘How Julia got her cat.’

Is Julia a particularly home-oriented, domestic woman? Not really, she has her moments, she needs her nest, but mostly if she’s not studying an astrological chart, she’s on the go, helping her clients and solving murders.

But a black cat? Now, if you’ve observed, the book cover of The Madness of Mercury shows a cat that’s black with touches of white. That’s because the artists at Midnight Ink thought a completely black cat might be difficult to visualize. That’s fine with me, but don’t be fooled. Julia’s cat Wizard is completely black and very big – he weighs twenty pounds! Maybe he looks a bit more like an ocelot than a cat, but whatever, he’s gorgeous, he is! 

But back to Julia... why a black cat named Wizard? Well, there is a certain cachet here because black cats have a fascinating mythology.

• In the Middle Ages, a black cat was perceived as a witch’s “familiar.” Women accused of witchcraft were suspected of worshipping the Devil in the form of a cat. Perhaps it was the cat's nocturnal nature that fed that myth because as everyone now knows, witches meet only at night. Ha! 
• In Colonial America, settlers believed a black cat entering a wake was bad luck, and could indicate the death of a family member. The Puritans were so fearful of anything that smacked of Satan, that anyone caught with a black cat could be severely punished or even killed.
• In the 16th century, superstitious Italians believed that if a black cat jumped on a sick bed, that person would die.
• In Europe in the 14th century, hundreds of cats were deliberately killed leading to a rise in the rat population which helped spread bubonic plague.

We’ve all heard the warning that a black cat crossing your path brings bad luck. Maybe that’s why black cats are the last to be adopted from animal shelters. Very sad!

But don’t despair, there are a few upsides to owning a black cat.

• In Yorkshire, England, it’s lucky to own a black cat, but unlucky have one cross your path.
• To dream of a black cat is lucky.
• At Halloween black cats are thought of as a charm. A black cat at your door will scare away any evil critters that might come calling.
• The Egyptian goddess Bast was often depicted as a black cat or a woman with a cat’s head. Killing a cat in Egypt was punished by death and dead cats were often mummified.
• A woman who owns a black cat will have many suitors.
• Sailors considering a “ship’s cat” preferred a black one because they believed it would bring good luck. And sometimes, fishermen's wives kept black cats at home in the hope they’d be able to use their influence to protect their husbands at sea 
• Here’s another seafaring myth: If a black cat walks onto a ship and then walks off, the ship is doomed to sink on its next trip.
• If you find a single white hair on your otherwise-black cat, it's a good omen.
• In England's border counties, a strange black cat on the front porch brings good fortune.

Did you know there are famous real cats? India was a black cat owned and loved by the Bush family. She died at the White House in 2009 at the age of eighteen.

Trim was a ship’s cat that joined Matthew Flinders on his voyages to map the coastline of Australia from 1801 to 1803. Trim fell overboard, but managed to swim back to the vessel and climb aboard by scaling a rope. After that, Trim became a favorite of Flinders and his crew.

Maybe I gave Julia a twenty pound black cat because it adds just a touch of mystery to her life. And maybe because I once had a gorgeous black cat who really didn’t like anyone but me. He was found on the street, a fuzzy black ball that only filled my palm. I don’t know how he ended up there, where his mother and siblings were, but he was so young, he had to be fed with a dropper. When he grew into his full gorgeousness, he used to sleep with me and wrap his fuzzy black arms around my thigh. When he died, after many years and a lifetime of living in pampered luxury, the entire family was heartbroken. We were wrapped right around his little paw.

So, for all of the above reasons, Julia needed to have a cat and he had to be black and he had to be named Wizard. Just remember though, Julia’s an astrologer, she is not a witch!

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink. She was fascinated by astrology at an early age and this was the inspiration that gave birth to Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer and her newspaper column Ask Zodia. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. Connie lives in Los Angeles with her family and a constantly talking cat.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Decanting a Murder

A Sommelier Mystery, #1

Nadine Nettmann

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: May 8, 2016
Number of pages: 264
Cover Artist: Pierre Droal/Deborah Wolfe Ltd.

Katie Stillwell focuses on two things in her life: work and practicing for her Sommelier Certification with her blind tasting group. The exam was supposed to be the hardest part of her week, but that was before a body was found at an exclusive Napa Valley winery party.

When all the evidence points to Katie’s best friend, the outspoken and independent Tessa, Katie drops everything to clear Tessa’s name. Using her deductive wine skills, she tries to track down the real killer. But when repeated attempts are made on her life, Katie discovers that everyone’s secrets must be uncorked—including her own.

Guest Post: 

Every chapter in Decanting a Murder has a wine paired with it, which means there are thirty-two wines to go along with the thirty-two chapters.

When I first started working on the book, I knew that wine would be a main focus of the story but I wasn’t sure how much. Don’t get me wrong, I knew that my main character would be a sommelier and the book would be set in Napa Valley, but it was only after I finished writing that the idea arrived to pair each chapter with a wine.

Sommeliers in restaurants help pair your meal with the perfect wine to accentuate the flavors. For example, Sauvignon Blanc complements light seafood dishes while Chardonnay pairs well with rich seafood. I applied this pairing idea to Decanting a Murder and provided a wine that went along with each chapter for a specific reason.

Chapter One is paired with Champagne because, as stated with the pairing in the book, it’s “ideal as an aperitif to get you started.” Champagne is a great aperitif to enjoy before a meal or perhaps during a cocktail hour. It starts the evening off nicely which is why I chose to start the book with Champagne.

To jump ahead to later in the book, Chapter Fourteen is paired with a Zinfandel because it’s “a rich and jammy wine filled with promise and intrigue.” Chapter Fourteen also has a lot of promise and intrigue, but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers so I’ll leave it at that.

Some pairings may not be as obvious, such as Chapter Nineteen. I paired this particular chapter with Chianti Classico and listed the reason as, “an Italian wine made from the Sangiovese grape, pairs well with game.” The reason for the pairing might become apparent as the reader goes through the chapter, and it might not. It’s all part of the fun of learning more about wine and enjoying wine for different reasons.

I decided not to list specific wineries in the pairings because I wanted readers to be able to apply their own favorite wineries or at least be able to select wines from the stores in their area. By listing varietal and location only, the specific winery is up to each reader!

I hope readers enjoy the pairings as they read along, but I would recommend only drinking one or two while reading, especially if they are fast readers. After all, there’s a mystery to be solved.

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Nadine Nettmann, a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, is always on the lookout for great wines and the stories behind them. She has traveled to wine regions around the world including Chile, South Africa, Spain, Germany, and every region in France. When she’s not visiting wine regions or dreaming up new mysteries, her travel articles have appeared in AAA Hawaii, New Mexico Journey, Modern Luxury Hawaii, and Inspirato. Nadine is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in California with her husband.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

To Catch a Treat

Barkery & Biscuits Mystery, #2

Linda O Johnston

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: May 8, 2016
Number of pages: 312
Cover Artist: Christina Hess

When a Dog-Snatching Scheme Leads to Murder, Carrie Must Sniff Out the Truth

Carrie Kennersly, veterinary technician and owner of the Barkery and Biscuits bake shop, agrees to a day of hiking with her brother Neal—mostly because she wants to meet and critique his latest romantic interest, Janelle Blaystone. But instead of judging her, Carrie feels only sympathy for Janelle, whose beloved black Labrador, Go, was recently dognapped.

Janelle thinks the culprit is Ada Arnist, a wealthy homeowner spotted at the dog park where Go was stolen. Soon after Janelle confronts Ada, though, the woman is found dead. With Janelle and Neal on the suspect list, Carrie must solve the mystery before the police bark up the wrong tree.

Interview: 
Please welcome Linda O. Johnston to Musings and Ramblings for a little Author Q&A.

*Offers Linda a cup of black coffee and a plate of chocolate cookies.*

What makes you unique as a writer?
I think it's my focus on both mysteries and romances. I currently write four series: two cozy mystery series and miniseries for each of two different Harlequin lines. My current mystery series are the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries and my Superstition Mysteries. Am I busy? Yes. Do I love it. Absolutely! So much so, in fact, that my new release TO CATCH A TREAT is my 42nd published novel. Oh, and by the way, I now include dogs in as many of my books as I can. All of my mystery series, including two I wrote previously--my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries, and my Pet Rescue Mysteries, feature dogs. My Harlequin Nocturne paranormal romances feature canines, too--although some of them are shapeshifters!

What are your five biggest distractions from writing?
Well, two of them are my dogs, especially my older one, Lexie--although Mystie gives me orders, too. They both like to interrupt my train of thought, often to go outside or to get treats just because. Then there are crossword puzzles on my computer, although I'll sometimes do one when I'm not exactly sure how a scene should develop, and changing what I'm focusing on may help my subconscious figure it out. Not sure there are two more, though.

What’s the best vacation/trip you ever had?
I tend to like cruises, so the first answer that came to mind was one of several Alaskan cruises I've taken where afterwards we also explored Denali park and I got to see more of the wildlife there. But my family has also taken a cruise to Australia and New Zealand cruise, and the wildlife in that part of the world is spectacular!

What’s your favorite rainy day activity?
Writing and talking with my dogs. But those are also my favorite non-rainy day activity, which is a good thing since I live in Los Angeles and we don't get a whole lot of those rain days.

What are your 5 favorite words?
Cynophilist - dog lover. That's me!
Cavalier, as in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, my absolute favorite dogs.
Unterlathorney, a nonword that was my title by mistake on a letter sent to me thanks to my handwriting being unreadable. At the time I was both a practicing attorney and a writer. It should have said "writer/attorney" but instead was unterlathorney.
Grandma, because I am one, and
L.A., which is two words, or actually two letters, but I really enjoy living there!

Thanks for sharing with us today.

Review: 

The first book in this series, Bite the Biscuit, was a great read for me, so I was excited to see the next book in the series come out. In the first book, Carrie helped solve a murder, because she was a suspect. In this second book, she is involved in the beginning, to help out someone her brother is interested in, and to make sure that he doesn't also become a suspect. But as the case progresses, she becomes much more interested in the dog-nappings that are probably linked to the death.  As an animal lover, finding the dogs and restoring them to their loving families is Carrie's primary goal. The fact that who ever is stealing dogs, might know something about the murder is just gravy.

I really liked that the story was smart. It was rare for Carrie to do something dangerous or "dumb". She kept people informed of her whereabouts and mostly did her investigating and interrogating in public. Plus, none of the information she gathered was obtained in any questionable means. It was all a matter of asking the the right questions to the right people. Of course, there were leads that didn't go anywhere and information that wasn't useful. But Carrie used logic and common sense to put the important (to her) puzzle pieces together. I had my suspicions about one of the bad guys, but the other caught me totally by surprise. Quite like Carrie.

One of the few things that disappointed me in this book, was that Carrie spent quite a bit of time in her head. I would have liked for there to have been more dialogue scenes. I enjoyed Carrie's interactions with her friends and family and wish there had been more of them.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and could really feel the canine love coming through on every page. I gave it 3 stars.

Thanks to Great Escapes for the opportunity to read and review the book.

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 38 romance and mystery novels, including the Pet Rescue Mystery Series, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, and Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne. She additionally writes the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink. Her latest cozy mystery series, the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries are also from Midnight Ink.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Clouds in My Coffee

The Country Club Murders, #3

Julie Mulhern

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Henery Press
Date of Publication: May 10, 2016
Number of pages: 256
Cover Artist: Stephanie Chontos

When Ellison Russell is nearly killed at a benefactors’ party, she brushes the incident aside as an unhappy accident. But when her house is fire-bombed, she’s shot at, and the person sitting next to her at a gala is poisoned, she must face facts. Someone wants her dead. But why? And can Ellison find the killer before he strikes again?

Add in an estranged sister, a visiting aunt with a shocking secret, and a handsome detective staying in her guesthouse, and Ellison might need more than cream in her coffee…

Guest Post: 

I have a confession. I never much liked Hercule Poirot. I’m not sure if it was the smug assurance that he was the smartest person in the room or the mustache.

That said, I adored Miss Marple and her adventures in St. Mary Mead. She appeared as soft and fluffy as a ball of angora yarn. Of course, appearances deceived. And St. Mary Mead? It was a veritable hotbed of jealousy, venality, and murder hidden behind the sleepy charm of an English village.

When I began writing my first mystery, capturing that same sense of waters running deep was important to me. Since what I know about life in an English village would fit atop one of the keys to my laptop, I chose a country club as my setting—a country club in the 1970s where the same small set of people interact day in and day out.

When I think of country clubs, I think of swim team and the clack of golf cleats on concrete, Lilly Pulitzer shifts and the scent of sunscreen (in the 1970s that would have been suntan lotion), the reverberations of a tennis ball on a freshly strung racket and wine, impossibly tan children gathered round a table in the snack bar and drinks on the terrace, club parties and a hellacious June bill that arrives with the firecrackers. I think of people who have known each other since birth and still speak to each other (most of the time). I think of ladies’ lounges, afternoons spent at the bridge table, club sandwiches, lemon bars, and lemon drops kept in an apothecary jar next to the receptionist’s desk. I think of shared histories and a sense of order.

Ellison Russell, the heroine in the Country Club Murders, thinks of those things too. She also ponders infidelity, gossip, the pressure to conform, and, in the most recent Country Club Murder, the importance of family—even as her home and life are invaded by a madcap aunt and a self-centered sister.

“You’ll have to take it yourself. Aggie is on loan.” Then I remembered Aunt Sis. “I’ve already got someone in the blue room. I’ll put you in the rose room.”
“But the rose room has twin beds.”
This was not news to me.
“I hate twin beds.”
That wasn’t news either. “You can always stay with Mother and Daddy.”
Marjorie snorted.
“Where’s Greg? Is he coming?”
“He’s at home with the children.” Her voice sounded flat, emotionless. Prudence’s sly innuendos flashed through my memory. Uh-oh.
“Is he flying in for the gala? You’re welcome here, but there’s a new hotel on the Plaza—the Alameda. I don’t think you’ve been there yet. I could book you a room.”
“No.”
“No, you haven’t been there, or no, you don’t want a room?”
With a chic flip of her wrist she flicked a stray hair back into place. “No, Greg is not coming.”
“Why not?”
“I already told you, he’s at home with the children.”
“Did your au pair quit?”
“No.”
“What about your housekeeper? Did she quit?”
“No.”
“Then why isn’t he coming?”
“Just drop it, Ellison.”
There was trouble in Paradise. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Drop. It.”
We stared at each other. It would be a cold day in hell before Marjorie looked for succor or support from her younger sister. I got that. But her insistence on being superior meant we’d never be close. It also rendered her right (and maybe left) flank open to attack.
“You need a better answer.”
She curled the corner of her upper lip and glared at me as if I was the problem. It was the kind of look one can only give a sibling. No one else would forgive it. I might not forgive it.

Need I add that both Aunt Sis and Marjorie stay at Ellison’s? And that murder ensues?

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders.

She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Killer Cocktail

A Nic & Nigel Mystery, #2

Tracy Kiely

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Date of Publication: May 8, 2016
Number of pages: 240
Cover Artist: Kim Johnson/Lindgren & Smith

Walking the red carpet at the Academy Awards with a bow-tied Bullmastiff draws Nic and Nigel Martini plenty of attention from the press. But that's nothing compared to the attention they receive at the A-list after party, when Hollywood royalty learn that Nic and Nigel have discovered behind the scenes footage from A Winter's Night, an acclaimed film known for backstage love triangles and the tragic death of its original star, Melanie Summers.

Returning home after the party, Nic and Nigel find their house in shambles and their employee DeDee Evans beaten within an inch of her life. And when the weapon used to pummel DeDee implicates beloved actress Christina Franklin, Nic and Nigel drink and banter their way into a modern-day version of a golden-era crime caper.

Guest Post: 

Tracy Kiely

At the recent Malice Domestic Convention, the conversation turned to advice various authors had received over the years. Some of it was pretty good; “Be patient. Do your best, and don’t stop trying to do better.” Some of it was pretty horrible; “Put glitter in your query letters so agents remember you.” There is no end to good advice (or horribly, horribly bad advice, for that matter. Glitter? Really?), but if I had to narrow the list to my top three gems of wisdom, it would be these.

Almost every author has an unpublished manuscript in a drawer somewhere that will always remain unpublished. And for good reason. Writing is a process, and most authors don’t pen a work of brilliance on their first or even their second try. It’s a craft that must be honed and polished just like any other. Unfortunately, unlike say a surgeon’s skill, an author’s talent is subjective. I think any new writer needs to realize that their families, while most likely lovely people, are liars. Big fat liars. They will tell you that your writing is “brilliant,” “amazing,” perhaps even “epic.” (Some families are a little more grandiose than others.) But before you compose your acceptance speech for the Pulitzer, stop for a moment to remember that these are the same people who burst into applause the day you mastered tying your shoe and riding a bike. They cheerfully plastered the front of the refrigerator with every wrinkled art project you ever pulled out of your backpack. Your mom probably even once wore that necklace you gave her for Mother’s Day. You know the one – it was made out of macaroni, glue, and string and looked like a collection of small tumors. The bottom line is your family loves you. And because of that, they probably aren’t the best critics of your work. Join a writing group. Get independent feedback. It is worth it. A writing group will tell you what works and what doesn’t work. If you’re lucky, they might offer helpful suggestions as to how to make your writing stronger. If you are not sure how to spot an independent reader here’s a tip: If they receive your manuscript without gently placing their hand on their chest and saying through misty tears, “Oh, I am just so proud of you!”/”You wrote all this?”/”Your grandmother would be so proud of you” you are headed in the right direction.

Remember that like most everything thing else, writing is a business. Yes, publishers love books. They love to read. They love finding a book that moves them, that makes them laugh, that makes them cry, that makes them question. You know what else they love? Keeping the doors to their business open. You can write a wonderful book, but if a publisher doesn’t think it will make money, they aren’t going to buy it. It is as simple as that. Publishers spend a great deal of time and effort on a book. They need to know that they are going to get a return on their investment. Rejection is a part of writing. Not everyone is going to love or even like your book, just as you probably don’t love every book in print. The more you realize that any rejection you encounter is business and not personal, the better your psyche will fare.

There will be times (days/weeks/months) when you will come to believe that your Muse stepped outside for a cigarette and got hit by a bus. You will stare at your computer screen and… do nothing. You will find yourself surfing Pinterest and emailing picture like these to friends.

But you need to keep writing. You need to keep going. Some days are great; some days not so much. Some days will make you feel as if you are only fooling yourself and you probably should check if McDonald’s needs a new fry guy. Write through it. Write around it. Write over it. But just write. The more you write, the better you will get. And, don’t worry, your Muse will return. She always does, even though sometimes she returns reeking of stale tequila and cigarettes. Clean her up and keep going. You will get to the day when your writing will be pure shiny gold. 

Oh, which reminds me…never, EVER put glitter in your query letters.

Giveaway: 

Author Bio:

Tracy Kiely is a self-proclaimed Anglophile (a fact which distresses certain members of her Irish Catholic family). She grew up reading Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and watching Hitchcock movies. She fell in love with Austen’s wit, Christie’s clever plots, and Hitchcock’s recurrent theme of “the average man caught in extraordinary circumstances.”

After spending years of trying to find a proper job that would enable her to use her skills garnered as an English major, she decided to write a book. It would, of course, have to be a mystery; it would have to be funny; and it would have to feature an average person caught up in extraordinary circumstances. She began to wonder how the characters in Pride and Prejudice might fit into a mystery. What, if after years of living with unbearably rude and condescending behavior, old Mrs. Jenkins up and strangled Lady Catherine? What if Charlotte snapped one day and poisoned Mr. Collins’ toast and jam? Skip ahead several years, and several different plot ideas, and you have her first mystery Murder at Longbourn.

While she does not claim to be Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, or Hitchcock (one big reason being that they’re all dead), she has tried to combine the elements of all three in her books.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads