Category: Cozies

An Alaskan cruise is the setting for amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller’s latest adventure. Sadie plans to spend time relaxing with her two grown children, Breanna and Shawn, and her boyfriend, Pete, while enjoying the luxury and cuisine of an elegant cruise ship and helping to plan her daughters upcoming wedding. But even as the crew prepares to leave port, Sadie has suspicions about the voyage ahead and the relationship between her normally easy-going son and a mysterious female passenger he obviously knows but refuses to discuss.

When the woman is discovered unconscious during the second night at sea, Sadie’s apprehension escalates. Over the last few years, Sadie has developed an extreme dislike for secrets and it would seem her son is keeping one from her.

Read excerpt

Title: Baked Alaska (Sadie Hoffmiller #9)

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Release Date: February 18, 2013

ISBN: 978-1609073282

Size: 368 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, softcover

Genre: Culinary Mystery

Sadie Hoffmiller Series: Lemon Tart (bk 1), English Trifle (bk 2), Devil’s Food Cake (bk 3), Key Lime Pie (bk 4), Blackberry Crumble (bk 5), Pumpkin Roll (bk 6), Banana Split (bk 7), Tres Leches Cupcakes (bk 8)

The gigantic cake for the new city rec center opening is going to be great advertising for Tess’s new bakery, until she finds the city councilman who oversaw the project dead. Tess vows to stay out of this one, until his troubled teenaged step-son is fingered for the murder and Tess jumps in to prove he’s innocent. Trouble is, someone else wants her to leave it alone, and isn’t afraid to take her out to protect their identity.

When the killer ups the stakes, Tess is forced to put herself in danger or risk the life of someone she cares about. Tess and her growing gang of amateur sleuths have to scramble to catch the killer before one of them ends up dead.

Read excerpt

Title: Pistols & Pies (Sweet Bites Mystery #2)

Author: Heather Justesen

Publisher: Jelly Bean Press

Release Date: February 3, 2013

ASIN: B00BAYMFTE (I think a print book will be available soon)

Size: 195 pages, ebook

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Sweet Bites Series: Brownies & Betrayal (bk 1)

A tropical paradise seems like the ideal place for amateur detective Sadie Hofmiller to relax and unwind from the panic attacks that have begun to control her life. But when Sadie accepts the offer to stay at a friend s condo on the island of K auai, her perfect vacation turns into a nightmare.

On a snorkeling trip with the Blue Muumuus, a community group of adventurous older women, Sadie finds herself entangled, quite literally, with the dead body of Noelani Pouha, a local drug addict. The police are convinced they know exactly what happened to Noelani.

Reeling from the shock of her own near-drowning, Sadie has no interest in looking for any other possible answers until Noelani s son appears on her doorstep, presenting her with a reason to gather her inner strength, rally her investigative powers, and use what she s learned from her past cases to try and find closure…for both of them.

Read excerpt

Title: Banana Split

Author: Josi S. Kilpack

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Release Date: March 6, 2012

ISBN: 978-1609089030

Size: 368 pages, 5×8″, softcover

Genre: Culinary Mystery

Sadie Hoffmiller Series: Lemon Tart (bk 1), English Trifle (bk 2), Devil’s Food Cake (bk 3), Key Lime Pie (bk 4), Blackberry Crumble (bk 5), Pumpkin Roll (bk 6)