Blog Tour: Murder at Castle Rock

Synopsis:
As the manager and booking agent for Atlanta’s famous Castle Rock concert venue, Amelia “Ame” Grace is ready for the most exciting week of her career: she’s booked three shows and a live DVD-filming for the comeback tour of none other than the eighties Pop Rock Prince himself, Bobby Glitter! Before the rock star can take a bow on the first night, however, trouble steals the show as Castle Rock’s owner takes a deadly tumble from atop the venue’s rear tower. To make matters worse, the police suspect foul play—and all signs point to two of Castle Rock’s own employees. Ame is in a race against time to clear the names of her friends and uncover the truth before the killer decides it’s curtains for her too!

This book is the first in the Amelia Grace music industry thriller series and was the winner of the 2012 AJC Decatur Book Festival & BookLogix Publishing Services, Inc. Writing Contest.

Author Bio:
Aside from my friends and family, I’m passionate about two things: writing and live music. When I can bring the two together, my life feels complete. I hadn’t written fiction since 6th grade until 2011 (because, of course, I’d replaced this creative outlet with live music performance while I played the saxophone from 6th grade through the end of college). I was fortunate enough to win the 2012 AJC Decatur Book Festival & BookLogix Publishing Services, Inc. Writing Contest with my manuscript for “Murder At Castle Rock,” and as a result, the novel will be published in March 2013. Being published has been a dream of mine since I began writing stories about the Easter Bunny in kindergarten–so, needless to say, I am beside myself with joy over this opportunity! I am currently working on several other projects, including a sequel to “Murder At Castle Rock” and another mystery series that takes place in the art world.

My Thoughts:
Amelia is a vivid character with a real spark that makes you want to help her piece together what's caused her life to get tossed upside down. She's tough, smart, snarky, and fiercely loyal to her friends. She is almost instantly likable and easy to root for. What happens on the first night of Bobby Glitter's comeback show is horrible! She loses someone she considers a friend in such a strange way, that it causes her to slide into "Scooby Doo" mode.  I enjoy that when the going gets tough, she just gets tougher!

This book is intense and written so well that it's hard to put down! I may even have to say that this book was flaw-free! At one point I was sure I knew who was behind the murders, then nuh uh..not them..then oooh I know..rinse repeat! Awesome build of suspense and mystery! It had me flipping the pages through til the wee hours of the night. I like books a lot but I LOVE my sleep, so that should tell you something about this book!


From start to finish this book had me guessing! I was pretty much floored by the ending! I loved it! This is the start of a great series, featuring Amelia Grace and I will certainly be anticipating the next mystery!


Amazon Purchase Link:
HERE

Tour Schedule:

May 27, 2013 - Must Read Faster
May 28, 2013 - Chloe Gets a Clue
May 29, 2013 - A Year of Jubilee Reviews
May 30, 2013 - Brooke Blogs
May 31, 2013 - Omnimystery
June 1, 2013 - A Blue Million Books
June 2, 2013 - The Broke Book Bank
June 5, 2013 - Read Your Writes

Blog Tour: Invitation To Die

Synopsis:
Twenty-six-year-old Emily Castles is out of work… again. So when famous romance author Morgana Blakely offers her a job helping out at a conference in London, Emily accepts. Just as eagerly, American blogger Winnie Kraster accepts an invitation from Morgana to attend as a guest, not realizing she has, in effect, accepted an invitation to die.

As a cast of oddball characters assembles at the conference hotel, grievances, differences, and secrets begin to emerge. When Winnie goes missing, and then is found murdered nearby, Emily begins to suspect that someone involved with the conference is responsible. Could it be one of the organizers, one of the authors, a member of the hotel staff, or even the supplier of the chocolates for the conference gift bags? Emily teams up with guest speaker and eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to find out.

Offbeat and engaging, this entertaining comic mystery is the first full-length novel featuring amateur British sleuth Emily Castles.

My Thoughts:
This is the first in a series, and it does the great job of setting up all the facts we need to know, and does so with finesse! I reviewed Showstoppers and Three Sisters, and loved them! I was quite eager to read more by Helen Smith and I was not disappointed at all!


This isn't a lengthy book. I got finished with it in one day and was left WANTING MORE! Not in a bad way, mind you, but in the kind of way that you want to feel! I thought this was an excellent first book in a series, and certainly sets up the scene for the rest of Helen Smith's delightful books!

Tour Schedule:

May 13 – Shelley Reads & Reviews
May 14 – Mochas, Mysteries & More
May 15 - Melina the Reader
May 16 - A Blue Million Books
May 17 - Chloe Gets a Clue
May 18 - Omnimystery
May 19 – Must Read Faster

Amazon Purchase Link:
Purchase Here

Blog Tour: Heavy Mental

Synopsis:
A musician’s gotta eat, which is why rock guitarist Clancy Parker takes on side gigs as a private eye. When she gets a new case involving a stolen necklace, Clancy’s thrilled at the prospect of easy money.

The job turns out to be anything but. Soon enough, Clancy must dodge threats from disgruntled secretaries, unhinged society matrons and rampaging ice cream trucks. The only person who can provide answers about the necklace is her client’s sexy psychiatrist, but Clancy’s budding crush on him only leads to more trouble.

Eventually, Clancy must rely on all of her contacts – her stoner bandmates, her Socialist landlord, and her yoga-loving, flask-toting mother – to stop the thief from turning into a killer.

Author Bio:
I write cozies your nana might not like. Then again, that depends on your nana.

I have two mystery series in the works — one featuring the rock ‘n’ roll detective Clancy Parker and the other starring the erotic bakery entrepreneur Muriel Kovacs. The first novel in the Clancy Parker series, Heavy Mental, is out now. The first novel in the Muriel Kovacs series, Missionary Position, made me a quarterfinalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. It will be out soon.

Amazon Purchase Link:
HERE

My Thoughts:
I LOVED Clancy! LOVE love LURVVVED her. She's definitely someone I could hang with. Pretty sarcastic, smart, and well she's a freakin' rock star..sort of. I loved how the story slides right on into the nitty gritty without feeling rushed. You get to know Clancy and her friends as she learns about her new case. There was no awkward info dump in the beginning, just you, Clancy, and the case.

I'm about to say something kind of obvious. I really enjoyed the characters in this story the most. They are all well written and developed splendidly! The plot is not bad but the character development is where this book shines! Pretty much everything about this book shines! It's certainly not a typical cozy mystery, so die hard fans of that genre might not be too stoked about it, but I for one really enjoyed my time reading this book!



Tour Schedule:

May 13, 2013 - Shelley’s Book Case
May 14, 2013 - Must Read Faster
May 15, 2013 - Musings & Ramblings
May 16, 2013 - Chloe Gets a Clue
May 17, 2013 - A Blue Million Books
May 18, 2013 – Books Are Life – Vita Libri
May 19, 2013 - The Broke Book Bank
May 20, 2013 - According to Squenn
May 21, 2013 - Brooke Blogs

Blog Tour: That Old Flame of Mine

Title: That Old Flame of Mine
Author: J.J. Cook
Series: Book 1 of a Sweet Pepper Mystery Series
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0425252048
Release Date: April 2nd, 2013

Blurb:
NO MATCH FOR MURDERAfter knocking the lights out of her boyfriend when she catches him cheating on her, Chicago fire fighter Stella Griffin hops on her Harley and heads for Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, where she ends up becoming the small town’s fire chief. When her dear friend Tory Lambert dies after her gingerbread-style house is set ablaze, Stella suspects arson and foul play.

As Stella investigates, she gets help from a most unlikely source—the ghost of Eric Gamlyn, Sweet Pepper’s old fire chief. And if that isn’t enough to rattle her, attractive police officer John Trump seems to have taken an interest in her. But Stella’s got to stay focused if she hopes to smoke out a killer before her own life is extinguished. 
My Thoughts:

Again I'm finding myself slowly becoming a fan of cozies. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The start was a bit of a slow burn (no pun intended) but once it got going it was a fun read! Stella is a great character. She's strong, smart, and interesting. I liked her no nonsense way of stepping up and getting things moving. She's the kind of female character that I like to read!

Every second of this book is a delight! I really liked how well each character was written too! The best I think was the ghost, Gamlyn. He's such a nice guy..erm dead guy!

This is the first book in the series and I think it does a great job at setting up the stage for some really fun books!

Tour Stops:
April 1, 2013 – Girl Lost in a Book
April 2, 2013 – Shelley Reads & Reviews &
Dru’s Book Musings
April 3, 2013 – Saph’s Book Blog
April 4, 2013 – Brooke Blogs
April 5, 2013 – Melina the Reader
April 6, 2013 – Thoughts in Progress
April 7, 2013 – A Year of Jubilee Reviews & Boeklogboek

Blog Tour: Strung Out to Die by Tonya Kappes

Blurb:
Holly Harper's life is finally getting back on the right track after her divorce from "what's his name." She and a group of divorcees have formed a strong bond plotting creative ways to get back at their exes and created a self-help group known as The Divorced Divas where their meetings are held in Holly's bead store, The Beaded Dragonfly.

It’s no secret that Holly’s ex husband, Sean Harper, and the wealthiest bachelor in Swanee, Doug Sloan, don’t get along because Sean is constantly fixing all of Doug’s shoddy handy man work. Plus all the Divas would love to get their claws in some of Doug’s money.

When Doug ends up dead on the floor of The Beaded Dragonfly with a string of cat eye beads around his neck, it’s up to Holly to figure out whose framing her.

My Thoughts:
Okay so I'm slowly getting into these cozy mysteries and finding out that they are quite delightful! This one was just the right fit for me. Holly is no-nonsense and tough, but also very sweet and a good friend. I really liked her a lot. Her friends are all larger than life and fun too! I thought Tonya Kappes did an excellent job with the development of the "side characters," and  showed just as much love and support to them as she did to Holly. Each character is well written, and real.  Don't even get me started on how sweet Willow the pig is. I really have to admit to feeling very TEMPTED to pick up some beads! I am the non-craftiest person ever too so that's saying something!   The mystery was interesting and kept me plowing through! All in all this is a great read!!


I will keep my eye out for more books in this series!