Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: M & M Awards

The 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (#CIBAs) Overall Grand Prize and Division Grand Prize and First Place Category Winners | Part One
We are deeply honored and excited to announce the 2020 Winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs). The Finalists were recognized at the Virtual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Ceremonies, and the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners were announced June 5th, 2021 by ZOOM webinars based at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether, Bellingham, Wash.

The 2021 Chanticleer Authors Conference and the 2020 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Banquet and Ceremony was originally scheduled for April 21 – 25, 2021. Each year, Chanticleerians from around the globe come together to celebrate and cheer each other on at the annual CIBA banquet and awards evening at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether that is situated on beautiful Bellingham Bay, Washington State.

However, in order to celebrate being able to meet in person in even a limited capacity (due to the fact that we all able to be vacinated in time), we postponed the First Place Winner and Grand Prize Ceremonies to June 5th, 2021 at the Hotel Bellwether with local Chanticleerians attending cheering each other on along with cheering on the virtual attendees. Champagne was poured and shared as the 2020 CIBA Grand Prize Division Award Winners were announced. After the event the small gathering of Chanticleerians were able to dine together immediately after in the Admiral Room of the Hotel Bellwether.

CIBA Grand Prize Winners in Before Covid Times

We’ve now hosted two virtual events and are pivoting to yet another new normal where events will now be expected to be in person and virtual! We were glad to still host VCAC21 on schedule with inimitable presenters like Cathy Ace, J.D. Barker, Bradley Metrock, Dr. Janice Ellis, Jessica Morrell, Paul Hanson, and more! Many of our presenters have already contacted us about the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference currently scheduled for April 7-10, 2022, and we are optimistic that we will be able to host that one in person as vaccinations continue to sweep the US.

At the June 5th, 2021 Ceremonies, we are excited to recognize the 18 Fiction and 6 Non-Fiction CIBA Divisions for the First Place Category and Grand Prize Winners!

First of all, we want to thank all of the CIBA judges who read each and every entry and then comment, rate, and rank within each of the 23 CIBA Divisions. Without your labors of love for books, the Chanticleer International Book Awards would not exist. THANK YOU!

We want to thank all of the authors and publishers who participated in the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards (the CIBAs). Each year, we find the quality of the entries and the competitiveness of the division competitions increases exponentially. We added a new level to the judging rounds in 2019—the premier Level of FINALIST per each CIBA Division.

The CIBA judges wanted to add the Finalist Level of Achievement as a way to recognize and validate the entries that had outstanding merit but were not selected for the very few First Place Award positions within each genre division. You can order promotional stickers and such here.

A Recap of the CIBA Selection Process
- The 2020 CIBAs have 18 Fiction Divisions and 6 Non-fiction Divisions.
- First Place Category award winners were selected for each one of the 24 divisions from an overall field of titles that progressed to the Premier FINALIST Division Level from the Division Semi-Finalists positions from the Shortlists, the Long List, and the infamous beginning slush pile rounds.
- One Grand Prize award winner was selected from the First Place Category Award Winners for the 23 CIBA divisions.
- One Overall Grand Prize award winner was selected from the 24 divisions of Grand Prize Award Winners
All 2020 CIBA FINALISTS were recognized with their respective division at the CIBA awards ceremony that was held each evening of VCAC21.

This post will recognize the First Place and Grand Prize Winners for Cygnus, Ozma, Paranormal, Global Thrillers, M&M, Clue, Little Peeps, Gertrude Warner, and Dante Rossetti Book Awards.

THANK YOU to VCAC21 SPONSORS and FRIENDS

CIBA Grand Prize Ribbons!

We are honored to present the

2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards

Grand Prize Winners

The 2020 CIBA Winners!

The CYGNUS Book Awards

for Science Fiction Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

THE LUNA MISSILE CRISIS by Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle
- Mark T. Sneed – Bully Nation
- JL Morin – Loveoid
- Timothy S. Johnston – The Savage Deeps
- PA Vasey – Trinity’s Fall
- Russ Colson – The Arasmith Certainty Principle
- Zach Fortier – Volk: Book one of The Overseer series
The OZMA Book Awards

for Fantasy Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

DIVINITY’S TWILIGHT: REBIRTH BY Christopher Russell
- T. Cook – Shin
- Michelle Rene – The Canyon Cathedral: The Witches of Tanglewood, Book Two ( YA)
- Gordon Preston – Zendragon
- H.J. Ramsay – Ever Alice
- Alison Levy – Gatekeeper: Book One in the Daemon Collecting Series
- Jeny Heckman –The Warrior’s Progeny
- Glenn Searfoss – Cycles of Norse Mythology: Tales of the AEsir Gods
- KC Cowan & Sara Cole – Everfire
The Paranormal Book Awards

for Supernatural Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

SOUL SEEKER by Kaylin McFarren
- T. K. Thorne – House of Rose
- R.B. Woodstone – Chains of Time
- Ryan Young – The Shepherd’s Burden
- Lydia Staggs – Azrael
- Franklin Posner – Boston Betty
- Meg Evans – Enthrallment
- Neil Chase – Iron Dogs
- E. Alan Fleischauer – Just Die
The GLOBAL THRILLER Book Awards

for High Stakes Thrillers, Lab Lit, and Suspense Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

THE BUCHAREST DOSSIER by William Maz

Pub Date: March 15, 2022
- Randall Krzak –Colombian Betrayal
- Matt Andrus – UFO
- Lynn Yvonne Moon – The Agency – Tablet of Destinies
- Avanti Centrae – Kiss of the Cobra – An M2 Action Thriller
- Rafael Amadeus Hines –Bishop’s Law
- Erik Foge – One Way Roads
The CLUE Book Awards

for Thrillers, Suspense, Legal, Detective, and Procedural Crime Novels

Grand Prize Winner is

A VENOMOUS LOVE by Chris Karlsen
- Toni Bird Jones –The Measure of Ella
- Kari Bovee – Folly at the Fair
- Ken Farmer – Three Creeks
- Shanessa Gluhm – Enemies of Doves
- Martin Roy Hill –The Fourth Rising
- J.J. Clarke – Dared to Run
- Corey Lynn Fayman – Ballast Point Breakdown
- Chuck Morgan – Crime Denied, A Buck Taylor Novel
- Theo Czuk – The Black Bottom
The M & M Book Awards for Mystery & Mayhem

for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries

Grand Prize Winner is

THE DISCOVERY by Patrick M. Garry
- Lori Roberts Herbst – Suitable for Framing
- Michelle Cox – A Child Lost
- Ana T. Drew – The Murderous Macaron
- Lina Hansen –In My Attic – A Magical Misfits Mystery
- Perry Miller – Lethal Injection
- Tina Sloan – Chasing Cleopatra
LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards for

Early Readers and Picture Books

Grand Prize Winner is

GREAT AS A BUTTON by Masoud Malekyari and Illustrated by Sebastião Peixoto
- Ellie Smith – Tex the Explorer Journey Through the Alphabet
- D.K. Brantley – Every Mummy Has a Mommy
- Dr. Justine Green – Completely Me
- Courtney Shannon Strand – Ella’s Umbrella
- Lindy Ryan – Trick or Treat, Alistair Gray
- Johnny Ray Moore –ANTHILL FOR SALE
- Raven Howell – So You Want a Puppy?
- PJ McIlvaine – Little Lena and The Big Table
GERTRUDE WARNER Book Awards

for Middle-Grade Books

Grand Prize is

KASSY O’ROARKE, CUB REPORTER by Kelly Oliver
- Robert C. Feol – A Journey to Mouseling Hollow
- Catherine Grangaard –A Fairy’s Tails
- Poem Schway – The Infinity Pendant
- Ruthy Ballard – Frankie and the Gift of Fantasy
- Ben Gartner – The Eye of Ra
- Jay Spenser – The Barn Owl Mystery
- Carmela Dutra – Little Katie Goes to the Moon
The DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards

for Young Adult Fiction

Grand Prize Winner is

THE BEST WEEK THAT NEVER HAPPENED by Dallas Woodburn
- Michelle Rene – The Canyon Cathedral: The Witches of Tanglewood,Book Two
- Sara Hosey –Iphigenia Murphy
- Felicia Farber – Ice Queen
- Susanne Dunlap – The Paris Affair
- Chynna Laird – Just Shut Up and Drive
- L.L. Eadie – Yearning for the Unattainable
- Jodi Lea Stewart – Blackberry Road
- Strider S. R. Klusman – Within Reach
- Ivy Cayden – Everything All At Once (Book 1, Chorduroys and Too Many Boys™)
Congratulations to ALL!

We will email each winner with more information about their prize packages and more information.

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Please standby for our next posts that will honor:

Click here to visit the Second Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.

Click here to visit the Third Posting out of Three Official Announcements of the 2020 CIBA Winners.
- Laramie Book Award Winners
- Chaucer Book Award Winners
- Goethe Book Award Winners
- Hemingway Book Award Winners
- Chatelaine Book Award Winners
- Mark Twain Book Award Winners
- Somerset Book Award Winners
- Journey Book Award Winners
- Hearten Book Award Winners
- Harvey Chute Book Award Winners
- Mind and Spirit Book Award Winners
- Nellie Bly Book Award Winners
- Instructional and Insight Book Award Winners
- Short Story Book Award Winners
- Book Series Book Award Winners
And the OVERALL GRAND PRIZE for the 2020 CIBAs!

We are now accepting entries into the 2021Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Click here for more information and submission deadlines: https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please email us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com We will try to respond within 3 business days.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the 2020 CIBA Winners! – The Chanticleer Team
June 26, 2021
HAIR BRAINED: The Bad Hair Day Mysteries, Book 14 by Nancy Cohen – Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuths, Women Sleuths

A young infant and a flurry of disturbing information enter Marla’s life in Nancy Cohen’s newest mystery, Hair Brained: The Bad Hair Day Mysteries, Book 14.

Marla Vail’s expectations of bringing in a joyful and prosperous New Year immediately dwindle when she learns that her friends, Tally and Ken Riggs, have gone missing, leaving Luke, their four-month-old son, in the care of the babysitter. Since Marla is listed as guardian of Luke, she and Dalton, her husband, have no choice but to bring Luke to their home. Marla faces the “great unknown” with a ray of hope that she would be hearing from her friends soon. But that never happens.

A trip to the hospital confirms Marla and Dalton’s worst fears. A car accident leaves Ken deceased and Tally in ICU and comatose. Now Marla has to find a way of juggling caring for Luke while running her busy hair salon. Amid the abrupt changes under horrific circumstances, Marla has no idea that there is much more behind the car crash, especially when one of Ken’s colleagues is murdered.

If you haven’t already heard of Nancy Cohen, where have you been? The award-winning mystery author pens unique and fascinating stories about a somewhat underdog mid-thirties hairdresser who has a fetish for detective work. And why not, considering her husband is a police detective? The odd stylist-sleuthing combo makes for fresh and tantalizing reading for a wide-range audience that goes well-beyond mystery aficionados.

Cohen’s writing style is surefooted, and her characters are vibrant and varied (multicultural, racially mixed), as in Hair Brained, the fourteenth installment of her Bad Hair Day Mysteries series. Marla, Cohen’s featured character, may have had her past set of traumatic situations, but that doesn’t seem to stop her when she senses something awry. A feisty woman-of-action, Marla faces fear trembling but determined to win over dark and seemingly unconquerable conditions even with an infant in her arms.

One would think that characters would be commonplace in laid-back Florida, but that’s far from the truth. From warm and caring family members and well-meaning people scarcely eking out a living to an imaginative mix of surly folk, Cohen’s cozy represents folks from various backgrounds befitting amalgamated Floridians. The action builds with a slew of twists, turns, and near nail-biting climactic tension.

The hair-raising, fast and delightful cozy mystery, Hair Brained: The Bad Hair Day Mysteries, Book 14 won First Place in the CIBAs 2018 M&M Awards for Cozy Mystery Novels.

June 25, 2020
DHARMA, A REKHA RAO MYSTERY by Vee Kumari – Cozy Mystery, Female Sleuth, Multi-Cultural Mystery

A complex murder mystery always requires a little spice. In Dharma, A Rekha Rao Mystery, that extra seasoning is provided by the casting of an Indian American woman as the amateur sleuth, despite her realistic fears for her personal safety.

Professor Rekha Rao is no Bollywood Mighty Girl. She’s a whip-smart American-born 32-year-old college instructor who must deal with her own PTSD after the murder of her father and her unstoppable passion for releasing the man wrongly convicted of her father’s slaying. That obsession is the reason Rekha was dismissed from her old teaching position. The scene is set for deep, personal involvement in the murder of a colleague, a fellow professor who is killed. And a rare, centuries-old statue excavated from an archeological dig in India is the murder weapon.

When Rekha, an expert in the art of ancient India, is asked by the Pasadena police for some background on the statue of Durga, a well-known goddess in India’s rich religious tapestry, she’s not content to limit her investigation to the narrow role assigned to her. Despite the handsome police detective’s warning to not continue the investigation, she turns over every rock to look for answers. She soon uncovers a galaxy of possible suspects: friends, colleagues, and students – many of whom may have motives to see harm done to the seemingly beloved professor. Art theft, a closeted gay man, a hidden affair, and even a little cross-dressing make their way into the mountain of evidence as Rekha works through territory that the police have not yet uncovered.

Rekha Rao is a well-drawn character with many facets to her personality. Her Indian heritage is evident in her food tastes, decorations, and family values. Still, she is clearly a modern American woman making her way in a very different culture. Rekha sets out to solve the mystery despite the fear that someone is stalking her – even as she stalks them.

Dharma, A Rekha Rao Mystery will also provide readers with a glimpse into the religious history of India’s gods and rich mythology. This is one of the hidden treats that makes the novel an enjoyable read for mystery lovers everywhere.

Dharma, A Rekha Rao Mystery won the Grand Prize for Mystery & Mayhem in the 2019 CIBAs!

April 17, 2020
CAMPARI CRIMSON: Franki Amato Mysteries, Book 4 by Traci Andrighetti – Private Investigator Mysteries, Vampire Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries

Texas transplant Franki Amato has only lived in New Orleans for only a year and a half, but she has already seen some pretty strange things. As a private investigator for Private Chicks, she has had her share of oddball cases and clients, but this one is blood-curdling – a vampire serial killer is stalking The Big Easy. With Halloween only days away, the initial robberies of local blood banks by a caped figure seem more prank-like than serious until a fraternity member of Delta Upsilon Delta is found drained of blood in one of the city’s above-ground crypts with the message “Campari Crimson” scrawled on the wall in his own blood. Franki wants nothing to do with the cryptic case, but when a psychic gives Franki a chilling impromptu reading from a restless spirit who claims someone drained and drank his blood and then warns her the same thing is going to happen to her brother Anthony, Franki fears she will be drawn in anyway. Her fears are confirmed when Josh Santo, a multi-millionaire millennial, hires Franki to find the real culprit after he is accused of the thefts. Josh’s bizarre behavior of dressing up as infamous self-proclaimed NOLA vamp Compte Jacques de Saint Germain – all while living in the house belonging to the bloodsucker – attracts the attention of Detective Wesley Sullivan and Franki thinks Josh may be more guilty than innocent. As the case escalates with yet another killing, Franki faces danger at every turn and finding the killer becomes entirely too personal. The Crescent City on the eve of a blood moon Halloween, what could possibly go wrong?

Real terror meets comedy that forces the reader to hang on with both hands in this fast-paced romp through one of America’s most enigmatic cities. From the sixty-something ex-stripper and nudist Glenda to Pam the hippie with her sweater-wearing Dachshund, this novel is one fun ride. Around every corner, it is sure to surprise like a Gothic cabaret funhouse. The vividly drawn characters are a genuine joy, and the city is celebrated in fine fashion. Anyone who has ever visited and loved this famously irreverent place will appreciate how NOLA becomes a living, breathing entity. Set against the backdrop of voodoo, cities of the dead, and history ripe with vampire lore, New Orleans is intricately woven into every aspect of the plot. One aspect of the city that comes through loud and clear is the idea of “live and let live.” First appearing on a necklace worn by one of the characters, this theme extends throughout the plot from a priest’s “judge not” advice to Raven the vampire’s philosophy of only feeding on willing donors. A feeling of acceptance for all permeates the atmosphere of N’Awlins and thus the novel. “Let the good times roll” is more than a motto; it’s a way of life for the New Orleanians.

What do you get when you cross a meddling nonna with a slacker brother? For Franki, you get family. When Franki is bulldozed by her mother into taking in her grandmother and brother (despite the fact that she has only a one-bedroom apartment), she doesn’t send the two packing back to Texas. Although an unwilling participant in this new “get Anthony a life” scheme, Franki still agrees to take them and even gives up her bed for her nonna, a force of nature in black weighing in at less than a hundred pounds. Nonna’s constant meddling in Franki’s love life, or lack thereof, and her case are both an annoyance and a sweet reminder of an Italian grandmother’s love. Regardless of the problems they cause, both Nonna and Anthony are family, “[a]nd among Italian-Americans, family [is] everything.” It’s an endearing part of the story that will make the reader love Franki Amato even more.

Campari Crimson: Franki Amato Mysteries, Book 4 by Traci Andrighetti won First Place in the CIBA 2018 M&M Awards for Mystery and Mayhem novels.

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March 27, 2020
EVIL UNDER the STARS: The Agatha Christie Book Club (Book 3) by C.A. Larmer – British/Irish Cozy Mystery, Humorous Literary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries

Who commits a murder in a crowd of a hundred people relaxing in a park, and how did the Agatha Christie Book Club miss the entire thing from only a few feet away? In the trendy Sydney suburb of Balmain, Kat Mumford, social media interior design star, has been murdered during the inaugural Cinema Under the Stars. Her distraught husband, Eliot, is clearly the prime suspect, but at the time of Kat’s strangulation, he is nowhere near her. In fact, no one was sitting near Kat, and the crowd seems to have been so absorbed by the movie, Agatha Christie’s Evil Under Sun, that no one saw a thing out of the ordinary.

When Alicia Finlay and her book club realize the murder occurred right under their noses, there is no way they can just let the police handle it. When Alicia’s boyfriend, Detective Inspector Liam Jackson, actually calls her for information, she and her club decide to do a little investigating of their own. Despite being told to butt out, Alicia, Lynette, Claire, Missy, and Perry go undercover to find the killer, but the twists, in this case, will lead them down a strange path to find a crafty killer. The club must sift through the suspects: a smarmy barman, a detestable reverend, a pregnant domestic abuse victim, a mystery mustached man, a dead junky, and a hipster hubby. With few clues but many dead ends, the club will meet their most challenging mystery yet!

This third book in The Agatha Christie Book Club series is one crazy ride. Anyone who loves a good whodunnit will adore this novel. C.A. Larmer makes it easy for readers to learn who’s who in the Agatha Christie Book Club. There’s Claire, the vintage clothing shop owner; Missy, the pink-haired librarian; Perry, museum PR organizer; Lynette, self-trained food blogger; Alicia, online journalist; and even the reluctant Anders, the doctor who pronounces Kat dead on the scene. They all create a fantastic cast of characters who genuinely engage the readers from the first page. Like Christie’s beloved Miss Marple, the book club members are amateur sleuths who rely on a stealthy approach to crime-solving and often go undercover. DI Indira Singh, the no-nonsense, by-the-book detective in charge of the case, is not amused – on more than one occasion. The ease with which the author introduces this kooky crew of curious minds will make it simple to jump in headfirst and enjoy this fast-paced roller coaster complete with plenty of red herrings and dead ends, eventually leading to a killer who manages a daring, deadly crime in the middle of hundreds of witnesses.

An unexpected plus in the plot is the romance between Alicia and Liam. Having just broken up with another club member Anders (creating tension among the book club), Alicia’s fledgling relationship with hunky Liam experiences some bumps when she interferes with his case. Still, the respect he has in her abilities–and that of the club–adds depth to what appears to be solely a mystery novel on the surface. Liam seeks out Alicia’s help, valuing her abilities, and not attempting to control her. Being the less attractive of the Finlay sisters, Alicia is often “eclipsed” by the beautiful blonde Lynette, but she never feels anything less with Liam. He makes it “crystal clear which sister he prefer[s] in his orbit.” Liam even takes Alicia “on the beat” to track down would-be suspects and leads, partly because he needs her and partly because he knows she will love it. This symbiotic-style relationship is sweet in a mature way that romance readers will appreciate. In short, Larmer will delight her followers with this third installment of the series, and have new fans ordering up the first two books in no time! Highly recommended.

Evil Under the Stars won First Place in the CIBA 2018 Mayhem & Mystery Awards.

March 25, 2020
FICTION CAN be MURDER: A Mystery Writer’s Mystery by Becky Clark – Female Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, American Literature

When a not-so-beloved literary agent dies under suspicious circumstances, a local mystery writer becomes the prime suspect in the death and must use her honed sleuthing skills to prove her innocence and find the real killer.

Colorado mystery writer, Charlemagne “Charlee” Russo, longs for the “halcyon days when authors were held in high esteem, and agents and publishers took care of all business except for putting the right word on the page.” The reality of the day is Charlee must deal with Melinda Walters, an unpleasant and dismissive, high-powered agent who can’t or won’t explain Charlee’s recently declining book royalties. Meanwhile, Charlee takes compliments and criticism from the likes of her Monday Morning writer’s group and volunteer beta readers comprised of family, friends, and neighbors. When she suddenly gets word that Melinda has been killed and her unusual death mirrors the specifics of events Charlee wrote about in her latest unpublished fictional manuscript, all eyes are on Charlee.

Soon Charlee is ticking off her own list of suspects while highlighting their motives, means, opportunities, and alibis. Her focus is primarily on anyone who had access to her manuscript, including fellow writers, boyfriend Ozzie, volunteer readers, Melinda herself, Melinda’s assistant “Q,” and a car mechanic. Clark ignites the story with an eclectic supporting cast that runs the gamut from a Mensa-card-carrying “Einstein” and a Goth who writes children’s books, to a neighbor with a shark-tooth smile who spent time in a mental health facility and appears to have a penchant for stealing books. With themes of money, love, jealousy, and revenge, the usual motives for murder, Charlee considers her suspects, one by one, but continues to entertain new possibilities along the way. Clark cleverly incorporates some unexpected reveals amidst this diverse group.

Through an intricate first-person narrative, readers remain invested in the story via the barrage of questions surrounding the murderous main event. As Charlee concedes that someone used her imaginary crime scenario to kill her agent, with questions like, “Was it to frame her? Was the prose so compelling they couldn’t help themselves? Why now? Why me?” Clark creates a pondering central character both witty, and on edge.

Clark’s writing style conjures out-of-this-world visuals, detailing the melting pot attributes of her Aurora town complete with bodegas, authentic ethnic restaurants, meth houses, and red-light districts.

Touches of humor also add an enjoyable lightness to the intensity of this drama. And, while the final reveal is unexpected, the tidbits of a backstory help the swirling pieces of this puzzle fall into place.

In this delightful and diverting debut, Charlee Russo proves a likable and plausible heroine. Readers will love her desire to consume a perfectly satisfying toasted grilled cheese sandwich, and her all-out efforts to exonerate herself and friends from the pointing fingers of law enforcement. Clark delivers fun and witty entertainment, with a double-edged appeal for mystery fans and bibliophiles alike.

Fiction Can Be Murder: A Mystery Writer’s Mystery won first place in the CIBA 2018 M&M Awards for Mystery and Mayhem.

January 27, 2020
A PROMISE GIVEN (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series Book 3) by Michelle Cox – Historical Mystery, Romantic Mystery, Mystery Suspense

With a much-anticipated wedding is in the works, but family complications and entanglements threaten the celebration, when is love A Promise Given, and when is it a compromise taken?

Amidst tribulations of friends and family, the smart and beautiful Henrietta, and the intense Inspector Clive Howard say, “I do.” Now the loving couple will learn how to be Mr. and Mrs. Howard on their honeymoon in England with his relatives at Castle Linley, where intrigue and mystery await their arrival.

This third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series celebrates the happy couple’s lavish wedding day on October 19, 1935. All is not calm or peaceful, however. The big day finds Henrietta’s mother and younger siblings uneasily settled in a new house in Palmer Square. Wedding jitters are magnified as the lovely bride-to-be uncovers concerning stories and disconcerting marriage advice from friends and relatives. There is a question whether Henrietta’s Ma will even attend the ceremony, and what will be the outcome as Stan shifts his unrequited feelings for Henrietta to her sister Elsie?

The newlyweds attempt to leave troubles miles behind when they set sail for a honeymoon in the rolling green hillsides of England at Castle Linley. They’re hosted by the Inspector’s relatives who welcome Clive and Henrietta with open arms. As she gets to know his English family, Henrietta ponders the long journey she’s taken since she first met the Inspector. In the meantime, Clive views some alarming changes to the castle, to the family, and even to the staff. Just as the news spreads through the town that a man has been murdered, Clive becomes aware of mysterious comings and goings of his cousin Wallace. Will the newlyweds investigate together? What secrets are waiting to be uncovered – and how will the family react?

This romantic novel evokes a sensual aura that embraces and warms the reader. The setting is authentically historic. The story gives a new slant to the timeless question of whether the beauty of true love indeed conquers all. It explores what happens to those who don’t find love, and to those who compromise. Beyond the happily ever after wedding, A Promise Given follows two individuals into the challenges of starting a life together, while delving into a murder mystery that threatens to undermine their own family.

A Promise Given by Michelle Cox won the CIBA 2018 Grand Prize in the Mystery & Mayhem Awards.

December 20, 2019
UNSIGHTLY BULGES (A Trailer Park Princess Cozy Mystery, Book 2) by Kim Hunt Harris – Cozy Mystery, Animal Cozy, Female Sleuth

Salem Grimes has a lot of goals – lose more weight than her friend Trisha, find a dress for the upcoming date she doesn’t really want to go on, and keep her dog, Stump, from throwing up on the kitchen floor. Unfortunately, solving a murder (again) isn’t on her to-do list, but Salem is thrown into another mystery completely against her will when she sees a body in a Sonic dumpster.

When her BFF Viv, an 80-ish firecracker of a woman with a penchant for expensive shoes, hears about it, she can’t wait to get started cracking the case. After all, she and Viv have already solved one mystery, and Viv is convinced their unofficial PI firm, Discreet Investigations, can find the murderer. But the ladies quickly realize they have their work cut out for them when the victim is identified as CJ Hardin, golden boy physician and local Hope for Homes organizer who recently “came out” in a very public way and stirred up a huge controversy in Lubbock, Texas.

Controversy and theories swirl since CJ was thought to have run off days earlier with the $200K in funds from a recent Hope for Homes fundraising effort. When the murder is labeled a hate crime, Salem, Viv, and their newest partner Dale find themselves in some scary situations, including an altercation with Rambo the fighting rooster. Between being laughed at by one hot police detective she’s had crushed on since fourth grade, fighting her urge to drink herself “cool” in order to keep from throat-punching Dale, Salem has to find a killer before the community implodes.

The struggles of the LGBTQ community are front and center in this novel. CJ, the murdered man, is a victim before he is the victim. CJ has spent his life as so many LGBTQ people have, playing a role, pretending to be something he is not in order to fit the required societal mold. The son of a prominent family, a prestigious doctor in his own right, and the perfect fiancé to a woman he has always been expected to marry, CJ never truly got to live his life in his own way. Not long after being caught in a passionate embrace with a man, CJ is more or less forced to come out in a very public way and then he is murdered, labeled another casualty of hate, and though his murder doesn’t quite turn out so cut and dry, his story is nonetheless tragic.

A Christian novel highlighting the struggles in the LGBTQ community is an anomaly, and Kim Hunt Harris expertly handles the issues smartly by placing them front and center in her lead character’s lap. Salem feels a strong connection with the LGBTQ message boards she studies after being swept up in CJ’s death. She understands the dark loneliness of never fitting in, of being a victim of abuse, and of hiding what she truly is, burying her true self.

Damaged by a selfish, abusive mother, Salem is determined not to let that define her anymore. After ten years of drowning her feelings in booze, she has found her footing in Christianity, but she is confused about her feelings, uncertain how to reconcile her blossoming faith with the reality around her – what she thinks and feels about the LGBT community around her.

Salem’s story is one of redemption – hers and everyone else’s. She wants to be a person who can look herself in the eye, and she fights daily to become that very person.

Through common sense, humor, and her daily prayers in her self-made devotional room (aka the guest bedroom in her trailer at Trailertopia), Salem navigates the world in a “human” way. She struggles to justify God’s love with the church’s condemnation against homosexuality. She struggles against her complete dislike of Dale with the Biblical edicts of patience and kindness. She struggles with wanting to feel God’s presence in her life versus her all too real feelings of pettiness and anger.

Salem’s battles aren’t black or white, right or wrong. She’s human and that’s why we like her so much. She understands that “contempt and disrespect for another person’s most precious beliefs” don’t make the world a better place.

Unsightly Bulges (A Trailer Park Princess Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Kim Hunt Harris took home 1^st Place in the 2017 CIBA M&M Awards for Mayhem and Mystery.

July 22, 2019