Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: cozy mystery

The Mystery & Mayhem Writing Contest Official Finalist List for 2015
The Mystery & Mayhem Writing Competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Cozy Mysteries and Classic Mysteries. The M&M Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2015 writing competition winners!

The M&M Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres are: Amateur Sleuth, Romance, Animals, Cooking/Knitting/Hobbies, Blended Genre, Medical/Lab, Travel, Humorous, Historical, Classic British, Y/A, and Senior Sleuth.

The following titles will compete for the FIRST IN CATEGORY Positions and Awards Packages.

The Finalists Authors and Titles of Works that have made it to the Short-list of the M&M 2015 Novel Writing Contest are:

The Long December by Mark Vilela

The Returner by Mark Vilela

The Prince Charming Killer by R. Johnson

St. Jude Without by E.M. Graham

A Stitch in Time by Ann Yost

The Bleak by Keith Dixon

Iced Tee by Cherie O’Boyle

Blood Relations by Lonnie Enox

There is Something About Marty by Wendy Delaney

Not with My Brain You Don’t by Richard Tenney

Terror in Taffeta by Maria Cooper

Community Affairs by Michele Lynn Seigfried

Prosecco Pink and Limoncello Yellow by Traci Andrighetti

The Hut in the Woods by VLZ

Murder Off the Beaten Path by M.L. Rowland

Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs

A Stitch in Time by Ann Yost

Stabbing in the Senate by Colleen Shogan

Brain Matters by JR Scott

Double Duplicity by Paty Jager

Murder Beside the Salish Sea by Jennifer Mueller

A Time to Love in Tehran by C. J. Fewston

St. Louis Affair by Michael Scheffel

Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Sword Princess by Suzette Hollingsworth

Endangered Eagle by Richard Carl Roth

Crossing Paths by Kate Vale

Organized for Murder by Ritter Ames

Fit to be Dead and Dang Near Dead by Nancy G. West
The M&M Finalists will compete for the M&M First In Category Positions, which consists of Four Judging Rounds. First Place Category Award winners will automatically be entered into the M&M GRAND PRIZE AWARD competition, which has a cash prize of $250 or $500 dollars in editorial services. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.
- All First In Category Award Winners will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.
- First In Category winners will compete for the M&M Awards Grand Prize Award for the $250 purse and the M&M Grand Prize Ribbon and badges.
- TEN genre Grand Prize winning titles will compete for the $1,000 purse for CBR Best Book and Overall Grand Prize.
- A coveted Chanticleer Book Review valued at $345 dollars U.S. CBR reviews will be published in the Chanticleer Reviews magazine in chronological order as to posting.
- A CBR Blue Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals
- Digital award stickers for on-line promotion
- Adhesive book stickers
- Shelf-talkers and other promotional items
- Promotion in print and on-line media
- Review of book distributed to on-line sites and printed media publications
- Review, cover art, and author synopsis listed in CBR’s newsletter
- Default First in Category winners will not be declared. Contests are based on merit and writing craft in all of the Chanticleer Writing Competitions.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.

Congratulations to the Finalists in this fiercely competitive contest!
Good Luck to all of the M&M Finalists as they compete for the coveted First Place Category positions.

First In Category announcements will be made in our social media postings as the results come in.

The M&M Grand Prize Winner will be announced at the April 30th, 2016 Chanticleer Writing Contests Annual Awards Gala, which takes place on the last evening of the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2016 M&M Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is March 30th, 2016. Please click here for more information.
November 13, 2015
THE DEVIL’S HOOK by Pearl R. Meaker, second book in cozy mystery series

Empty-nester Emory Crawford is more than just a dab hand at home-making and fiber art. As a newly-installed instructor for the Twombly College crocheting class, she’s also mother hen, mentor, and counselor to her eager students. So when a rash of mysterious gifts, all in the color red, start showing up in the girls’ dorm rooms, Emory’s intuitive radar system goes on alert. Then one of Emory’s students, a recipient of the unwanted gifts, turns up missing and Emory is tasked with piecing together the meager clues left behind.

In the spirit of calming frayed nerves, Emory consents to move the class from the college campus to the comfortable Twombly residence only to find that society maven Amy Twombly and her wealthy husband Jairus are locked in marital combat over Jairus’s new, and decidedly attractive, personal assistant. Between Amy’s erratic behavior and her shouting matches with Jairus’s assistant, Emory thinks things couldn’t get much worse – until she finds Amy’s custom-made, bloodwood crochet hook protruding from the eye of Jairus’s stone-cold dead assistant. With motive, means, and opportunity all pointing to Amy, Twombly’s antagonistic Police Captain Henry Schneider considers the case closed. But Emory’s gut tells her otherwise.

In the search for the truth, Amy’s daughter Madison plays Nancy Drew to Emory’s Miss Marple. Using the full powers of her “Gift of Knowing” and a little help from her forensic scientist hubby, Emory and her sleuthing partner Madison unlock the secrets of the past and learn that not everyone is who they claim to be.

In The Devil’s Hook, author Pearl R. Meaker delivers a fully-developed cast of rich, quirky characters that are sure to satisfy the discerning cozy mystery enthusiast. Her inquisitive and highly intuitive main character Emory Crawford, provides the perfect sounding board for all of the supporting characters and is a clever match to the brilliant young side-kick, Madison Twombly. The author also demonstrates a unique ability to illuminate the myriad facets of human relationships revealing, in the process, the similarities in all of us.

Twists and turns abound in this delightfully engaging second installment of Pearl R. Meaker’s Emory Crawford mystery series. With the down home small town feel of Murder She Wrote and the multi-layered complexity of an Agatha Christie mystery, The Devil’s Hook is a cleverly-crafted and enjoyable whodunit style cozy mystery.

September 1, 2015
The CLUE 2014 AWARDS FIRST PLACE Category Winners for Suspense and Thriller Novels
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 for Suspense and Thriller Novels, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The CLUE Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Suspense and Thriller Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

Chanticleer Reviews is proud to be a literary affiliate of the Historical Novel Society.

Congratulations to The CLUE FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:
- Historical: Rachel B. Ledge for The Red Ribbon
- Romantic Suspense: Mimi Barbour for Special Agent Francesca
- International Intrigue/World Events: Lawrence Verigin for The Dark Seed
- Contemporary Mystery/Suspense: Pamela Beason for The Only Clue
- Private Eye/Noir: Keith Dixon for The Bleak
- Police Procedural: Jode Susan Millman for The Midnight Call
- Spy/Espionage: Michelle Daniel for The Red Circle
- Psychological Thriller: Rebecca Nolen for Deadly Thyme
- Cozy/Amateur Sleuth: JoAnn Basset for I’m Kona Love You Forever
- True Crime: Gayle Nix Jackson for Orville Nix: The Missing JFK Assassination Film
Honorable Mention: Susan Holmes, Deadly Ties, A Waterside Kennels Mystery

CONGRATULATIONS!

To view the 2014 CLUE Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

Good Luck to the CLUE First Place Category Winners as they compete for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the CLUE AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 CLUE category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

The deadline for The CLUE Awards 2014 was September 30, 2014.
The deadline for The CLUE Awards 2015 is September 30, 2015.

GRAND PRIZE Overall CLUE Awards 2013 Winner is:

Clyde Curley for Raggedy Man

To view the 2013 CLUE Award Winners, please click here.

To enter the 2015 CLUE Awards, please click here. The deadline is September 30, 2015.

To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
August 29, 2015
The M&M Awards for Mystery & Mayhem Novels 2014 First Place Category Winners
Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the M&M Awards 2014 for Mystery & Mayhem Cozy Novels, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

The M&M Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of cozy mysteries novels. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

The M&M FIRST PLACE 2014 Award Winners are:
- Amateur Sleuth: Wendy Delaney for SEX, LIES, and SNICKERDOODLES
- Romance: Janet Shawgo for FIND ME AGAIN
- Animals: Pamela Beason for THE ONLY CLUE
- Blended Genre: Winslow Elliott for SATI and the RIDER
- Classic Cozy: Stephen Kaminski for DON’T CRY OVER KILLED MILK
- Female Sleuth: Julie Mulhern for The DEEP END
- Humorous: Ann Philipp for GRAND THEFT DEATH
- American Mystery: Amy Beth Arkawy for DEAD SILENT
- Classic British Cozy: Marni Graff for GREEN REMAINS
- Y/A/New Adult: Julie Moffett for NO PLACE LIKE ROME
- Senior Sleuths: Mark Reutlinger for MRS. KAPLAN and the MATZOH BALL of DEATH
- Legal/Medical/Lab: Ken Malovos for CONTEMPT of COURT
CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to all of the 2014 M&M Finalists Short List! This is a highly competitive writing competition and many of the calls were close. We invite you to enter your new works into the M&M 2016 Awards.

Congratulations to those whose works were selected for First Place Category positions. Good Luck to the M&M First Place Category Winners as they compete for the M&M AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the M&M AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 M&M category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.
- The deadline for entries for the M&M Awards 2014 was March 31, 2014.
- The deadline for entries for the M&M Awards 2015 was March 31, 2015.
- The deadline for entries for the M&M Awards 2016 is March 31, 2016.
GRAND PRIZE Overall M&M Awards 2013 Winner was:

Berndatte Pajer, for Fatal Induction

To view the 2013 M&M Award Winners, please click here.

To compete in the 2016 M&M Awards or for more information, please click here.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.
July 25, 2015
FIRE at WILL’S by Cherie O’Boyle, a West Coast Cozy

When a psychologist calls on her powers of observation to solve a murder, she uncovers a secret that some in her small eclectic Californian community would rather keep buried. Fire at Will’s by Cherie O’Boyle introduces Estela Nogales as an amateur sleuth with a wry sense of humor, a keen sense of observation, and two border collies as sidekicks in this engaging new cozy mystery series.

Estela prides herself on doing a good job of navigating the petty grievances and animosities of her Arroyo Loco neighbors. And if it weren’t for a few rule enforcing cranks she and her beloved dogs could enjoy all of the open space and clean air that her picturesque, coastal mountain community has to offer.

Will Rosenblum, the neighborhood’s biggest grouch, has made it a habit to stick his nose where it’s not wanted, going out of his way to ignite the ire of every one of his Arroyo Loco neighbors, so when his house goes up in flames suspicion lands in all directions, including at Estela’s feet.

As the ashes settle, a body—thought to be Will’s—is found at the back of the house. Also, Will’s memory impaired wife is missing. A round of finger pointing brings everyone’s actions into question causing Estela to realize that the only way to clear her name is to launch her own investigation.

With so many suspects Estela starts to wonder if Will’s demise could have been an orchestrated community effort. Armed with her knowledge of human behavior and sharp powers of observation Estela examines the motives and actions of each person in Arroyo Loco and discovers an ugly secret.

In this first installment of the Estela Nogales series the author uses a small, isolated location with a captive, vocal population to skillfully address the question of how well we really know our neighbors or, for that matter, our friends. Although some are locked into mistrust and others prefer denial, Estela’s unwillingness to allow wrong to prevail compels her to reveal the inconvenient details buried beneath the public facade.

With humor and keen insight into human nature, author Cherie O’Boyle offers up a clever cozy mystery filled with a varied and quirky cast of characters. From the strudel-baking Freda von Liesing to Arroyo Loco’s resident metaphysical hippie Sunshine Rainbow, each character is a classic slice of the diverse California lifestyle. O’Boyle’s inventive homage to the HOA rules-gone-crazy communities springing up all over the country makes Fire at Will’s laugh-out-loud fun!

June 17, 2015
CATHERINE’S CROSS by Millie West, a Southern Mystery

Mystery, romance, and the hunt for a long-lost artifact make Millie West’s second novel that is set in the South Carolina Low Country, an engrossing read.

Writing in a leisurely pace echoing that of the novel’s southern setting, West begins her story with Jenks Ellington who, while watering ferns at her house in North Carolina one afternoon, experiences the moment of her twin sister’s drowning miles away in South Carolina. Gigi, a strong swimmer and experienced diver, disappeared while diving with her partner Frank Hillier in an area the two had been salvaging for artifacts.

Jenks, who has always had a deep connection with her twin sister, can’t believe that Gigi’s death was accidental.

The detective on the case, the handsome Seth Mason, is equally suspicious. The initial investigation finds nothing wrong with Gigi’s diving equipment, and the autopsy reveals that she had no drugs or alcohol in her blood stream. Mason also finds it suspicious that Frank Hillier, an experienced ex-Navy diver, has no explanation for why he lost track of Gigi during the dive.

Almost immediately following the funeral, Jenks begins to have disturbing and inexplicable dreams about a woman wearing a golden cross. As Jenks begins to follow clues left behind by her twin, she finds herself drawn ever deeper into the history of the area and its inhabitants.

She discovers that Gigi had been in touch with Miss Meta, a local spiritual advisor, and that Gigi had been reading the old spiritualist’s family diaries. Those diaries mention a gold cross exactly like the one in Jenks’ dreams. Is her sister trying to communicate with her from the afterlife?

Each page of this romantic thriller is imbued with the natural beauty of the Carolina Low Country, its people, and its culture. Ms. West weaves its rich and intriguing history, along with the region’s distinctive manners and idiosyncrasies into her work. Readers (non-Southerners will need to remind themselves that they are immersed into the pacing of a good Southern tale) will find themselves unable to put down this intriguing southern mystery.

May 28, 2015
99 cents SALE on MRS. KAPLAN and the MATZOH BALL of DEATH

MRS. KAPLAN and the MATZOH BALL of DEATH by award-winning author Mark Reutlinger is on sale for 99 cents on Amazon March 27 – April 9th.

A cozy mystery is a rollicking adventure through a mystery at the Home for Jewish Seniors. “Deliciously funny” series published by Random House.

“Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death” is a Finalist in the 2014 M&M Awards. Congratulations to Mark Reutlinger!

February 24, 2015
WHERE the BONES are BURIED by Jeanne Matthews

Waiting for the other shoe to drop and looking over her shoulder is what cultural anthropologist Dinah Pelerin feels like she has spent the majority of her adult life doing. With a plum new job at the university in Berlin and Thor Ramberg, the James Bond-like Norwegian cop sleeping next to her, there should be plenty to keep her happy. And she is ready for a new lease on life.

However, Dinah’s new found happiness flies out the door when she literally opens it to Swan Calms, her Seminole Indian mother, who has a tomahawk to grind with her ex-husband’s German business partner. The fact that her ex got an early ticket to the happy hunting ground in the sky or that she has no valid claim to the pile of money the partner has stashed doesn’t deter Swan.

Armed with a gun and a half-baked plan Swan is intent on getting “her share” and she didn’t show up on Dinah’s and Thor’s doorstep alone. She’s managed to drag her former arch enemy and current sidekick, Margaret, along for the ride. Tension between the two older women immediately ratchets-up, leaving Dinah to wonder what planets must have collided to bring Margaret, also an ex-wife of the same drug-dealing man, and Swan together. With a pathological liar for a mother and murder in Margaret’s background, the outlook isn’t looking so good.

Swan’s plan turns to blackmail, putting everyone’s life the line. Then the plan turns deadly and Swan becomes the focus of a murder investigation. Genetic ties and misplaced loyalties press Dinah to channel her inner warrior to track down the evidence needed to exonerate her mother. But what if the evidence proves her guilt?

Secrets, lies, and betrayal weigh heavily in this fifth installment of the Dinah Pelerin series. And, Dinah knows well that the cruelest lies are those of omission. Like Dinah, each character in this rich, quirky cast has a story to tell but their truths rest dangerously below the surface. Dinah’s hunt for the killer tests her resolve and forces her to question her own truths. By releasing the secrets of her past, Dinah gains a new level of strength and confidence. Her final hurdle is one of trust, and readers will root for her as she grapples with a long-overdue leap of faith.

With a strong sense of setting, author Jeanne Matthews invites the reader to travel vicariously with Dinah while she navigates her way through the sights, sounds and history of Berlin. As Dinah delves deeper into the city, the reader becomes privy to the eccentricities of a European sub-culture in love with the Native American past, and to the darker side of the antiquities trade.

Where the Bones are Buried contains a large cast of characters, some fun and peculiar, some dark and tortured, all of whom have a hidden agenda. While the associated subplots are intricate, “red herring” aficionados will savor the challenge of bringing together the myriad clues of this clever and complex mystery. Matthews has, once again, crafted an entertaining, and, at times, humorous mystery that will have mystery readers enthralled.

February 23, 2015
BLOOD RELATIONS by Lonna Enox

In a tangled web of mystery and lies, the truth can only be discovered, if the seeker can survive. Often working out a mystery and following the clues can lead to danger. Unfortunately, sometimes the answers found may not be the ones sought after.

Blood Relations is the second book in this cozy mystery series set in the contemporary Southwest. Not only will readers be intrigued throughout the story, they will enjoy the vivid descriptions of a wild bird refuge, the rugged beauty of the Southwest, along with the visuals of the quaint small towns and their local personalities that the mystery revolves around.

Sorrel, a retired investigative journalist, is simply seeking peace after the brutal murder of her husband. She opened a small gift shop out of her home in Saddle Gap, with a close girlfriend, Teri, who handles the daily operations. This allows Sorrel to pursue her passion, photography, especially wildlife photography. She is mentored by her friend, John, also a professional wildlife photographer.

It was on one of John and Sorrel’s trips that this mystery starts. Sorrel arrives at the Annual Crane Festival in Socorro, New Mexico as she and John had planned. The morning starts with some amazing views of the wintering birds, as well as a striking sunrise. When John fails to show up, and she is instead greeted by Chris Reed, a Saddle Gap detective, Sorrel fears the worst.

Sorrel is determined to figure out what has happened to John. She feels that he is in trouble, and she will not stop searching until she gets some answers. Reed and Sorrel start to investigate John’s disappearance. Along the way they encounter many strange things that, at that point, don’t seem to make any sense: a dead body of an unidentified man, strange papers, phone messages from John’s attorney, and strange coded messages left in various places.

Sorrel and Reed’s search propels them into harm’s way, where they find themselves terrorized and in situations that require tenacity, survival skills, and teamwork. When these experiences cause Sorrel to question the people and events in her life, she learns of a deception that will change her life forever.

Sorrel and Reed have a feisty friendship that teeters on becoming more. She dodges his romantic flirtations with her sassy comments, exerting her independence. Undaunted, Detective Reed is more intrigued by her and her secretive past.

Not many books leave me with the urge to immediately re-read them, but Blood Relations most certainly did. The subtlety of the details and clues written throughout the mystery surfaced only after I finished reading. It is an amazing talent for an author to leave you wanting to re-read her novel. And this well-written and entertaining book made me do so. I then went on to read book one, The Last Dance, which was awarded the Best Debut Mystery in the CLUE Awards. I was not disappointed. This reviewer is looking forward to reading the next book in this captivating and engaging contemporary Southwestern mystery series by Lonna Enox.

February 16, 2015
THE DEVIL’S MUSIC by Pearl R. Meaker

The last thing Emory Crawford – loving wife, empty nester, knitter, library volunteer, blue-grass fiddler, and an avid reader of Miss Marple mysteries – would ever expect to find at quiet Twombly College, was an on-campus murder. The victim was a friend, fellow bluegrass musician, and bestselling author, Dr. Archibald Finlay Dawson.

When the police arrive, college president Jarius Twombly declares that he wants the whole thing kept as quiet as possible during the conference. And he wants the murderer arrested before it is over, while everyone is still in attendance. He assigns Jebbin Crawford, college chemistry professor (and Emory’s husband), to monitor and report on the investigation. His friend and lab partner, Dr. Chatterjee, known as Chatty, will conduct the actual forensics analysis.

The stunned Emory seeks furry comfort with her two cats, Hortense and Kumquat, and her dog, Sophie. She finds liquid comfort in the form of hot chocolate in one cup and herbal tea in the other. As curiosity consumes her, Emory begins asking herself questions: Who could have wanted to kill Dr. Dawson? Who had an alibi for the time of the murder? Then she wonders aloud just what her favorite mystery series sleuth, Jane Marple, would do. The cats stare at her.

Pearl R. Meaker, the author of The Devil’s Music, introduces us to a range of intriguing and peculiar characters as Emory, a self-acknowledged Miss Marple wannabe, begins her own investigation in her own non-threatening way. After all, she is a grandmother who knits and bakes cookies.

The author delightfully takes us through Emory’s transformation from empty nester homemaker to crime-solver in The Devil’s Music. Emory must wrestle with self-doubt as she begins to trust her own investigative deductions. While the scientists use their labs and research methods to solve the crime, Emory precedes to continue seeking clues and answers in her own way.

We learn that Emory is quite well-read, and that her broad collection of interests aids her in astutely and stealthily gathering information. Meaker deftly weaves in fascinating bits of Salem witch trials history, old superstitions, the powers of herbal tinctures, the symbolism of flowers, and Bluegrass music. One can almost hear the devil’s music, a specific type of Bluegrass—practically a character itself in the mystery—as Emory discovers the missing pieces to the puzzle.

The inquisitive and delightful Mrs. Emory Crawford, who uses her intuition and her knitting projects to solve crimes, will surely become a favorite sleuth to cozy mystery fans. Her quirky sidekicks with their interesting peculiarities, along with the locals of this quaint college town in the heartland of America, add touches of humor to this mystery.

Classic mystery readers will not be disappointed with The Devil’s Music’s plot twists and intriguing puzzles in this entertaining whodunit by Pearl R. Meaker. We look forward to the next book in this winsome new cozy mystery series.

February 12, 2015