Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs

Photo Credit: Berkley 10/6/2015

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Parchment and Old Lace

Carmela is having a lovely night with the man that puts the va-va-voom in her heartbeat- Detective Edgar Babcock. A nice dinner, a walk home with moonlight and romance in the air- well, life doesn’t get much sweeter for Carmela.

Until…

Screams are heard from the cemetery as Edgar and Carmela walk by. Edgar races off to find out what is happening and Carmela is close behind. The cemetery on a normal day is spooky enough- but at night, it’s off the charts spooky. Especially when Carmela discovers who was screaming….

Get Spook-Tacular With Cozy Mysteries for Halloween!

Ya’ll… You know how I adore my cozy mysteries. They are some of my favorite reading. As I’ve been putting together this Spook-Tacular Month of posts, I began thinking about my cozy mysteries- and trying to remember some good Halloween ones. I found a few- just in case you like your mystery to be on the light side (and perhaps want to cook up some sweet treats for Halloween!)

Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Traveling With T received this copy from the author for review consideration.

Gossamer Ghost

It’s Halloween in the great city of New Orleans and Carmela is looking forward to kicking up her heels all week long! She knows her side-kick Ava will be up for some spooky fun and she’s also looking forward to spending time with her hunky squeeze- Edgar. After a late night at her shop planning the scrapbooking class schedule, Carmela begins to gather up supplies and leave. Until…..

Mini-Review: Gilt Trip by Laura Childs

Photo Credit: Goodreads

*Traveling With T won this book from a giveaway that Always With A Book hosted in 2013.

Gilt Trip

Goodreads Summary:

Louisiana businessman Jerry Earl Leland served only a fraction of his five-year sentence for white-collar crime, thanks to some political connections and a few greased palms. But he won’t have long to enjoy his freedom…

After Jerry Earl’s early release, his wife, Margo—a much-married Garden District doyenne—throws an extravagant Get Out of Jail Free Party, complete with a Zydeco band, champagne ice luge, and waiters in ties and tails. The guest list includes many prominent New Orleans socialites, as well as scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand and her best friend, Ava Gruiex.  But sometime during the swirl of partying and drinking, Jerry Earl is brutally murdered—then stuffed inside a clothes dryer.

Carmela has earned a reputation around town for solving murders, and when the grieving widow turns to her for help, she can’t say no. But Jerry Earl took a lot of people to the cleaners with his underhanded business tactics, so Carmela’s going to be hard-pressed to identify which of his enemies was steamed enough to kill him. As she sorts through Jerry Earl’s dirty laundry, she needs to collar the killer before another victim is set to tumble dry…

Literary Friday ya’ll….

It’s Friday- what’s your weekend plans?

 

1. Deep South Mag and their #literaryfriday: Fannie Flagg, Vampire Books, Lee Smith, book festival news and so much more!

 

2. #giveaways this week include:

Always With a Book is giving away the latest Laura Childs book, Gilt Trip!

Book-Alicious Mama is giving away Grounded by Angela Correll!

Traveling With T is giving away Strangled by Silk by Barbara Jean Coast!

 

3.  Traveling With T was visited this week by Angela Correll- her debut novel, Grounded, was released this week! Read the Interview or Author Spotlight about Angela for more information!

 

4. Reviews posted this week on Traveling With T: Grounded by Angela Correll, Wedding Belles by Beth Albright,                The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty & Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber.

 

5. Book Lovers Unite is reading The Life List for October! Here is Week 1 questions!

 

6. Another AWESOME blogger: Helen at My Novel Opinion!

 

7. Yesterday, I posted a blog post that I had written- A Million and 1 ways to be a Blogger. In it, I consider things that bloggers think about- but mainly, the question is “Am I Blogging Right?” Is there a right or wrong way to blog? I don’t know- but I’m loving hearing what others are thinking!

 

8. Bloggers Recommend just posted their October newsletter: 26 Must Reads for October 2013. Check it out and find you a read!

 

9. My #fridayreads The Last Winter of Dani Lancing by P.D. Viner. At first it was hard to get into- but I hit a groove the other night. Let’s hope that continues!

 

10. October 10th come chat with Literary New England and myself- it’s a combo chat between Literary New England and She Reads- we’ll be discussing The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill. There will be giveaways! 8pmEST #LNEChat

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

It is Delanie’s wedding day- and she’s a nervous wreck. Trying to help calm Delaine, Theodosia is going above and beyond bridesmaid duty- but a happy Delanie is better than an unhappy one. However, no matter how hard Theo is trying to make this day perfect- nothing can bring the groom back to life.

Delanie begs Theo to find out who did this to her beau, and Theo readily agrees. Was it murder or an accident? Clues at the scene point to either conclusion. While Theo’s gathering clues, 2 ghosthunters come to town, and are interested in going back to the scene of the crime to communicate with the spirit.

With suspects being added daily to Theo’s list- was it the ex-girlfriend? The law partner? The step-son? Or someone else? Theo’s days are busy. Throw in an attractive ATF agent is interested in tracking down Cuban cigars and seems to like to keep an eye on Theo, it’s a wonder that Theo can remember how to steep tea!

Is Theo able to help solve the murder? Or was it an accident? Read Sweet Tea Revenge to find out!

Agony of the Leaves by Laura Child

With a new aquarium opening in Charleston, everyone is excited. The opening should be a smashing success- between the food and Charleston’s elite. Everything is going great, until Theodosia discovers a body. Not just any body either- the body of Parker Scully, her former love. While most are willing to write it off as a tragic accident- Theodosia will not.

As she begins to search for more clues about Parker’s life over the past year or so- Theodosia learns the restaturant business is similar to Hollywood- talk is cheap. Did one of the restaurant owners set out to kill Parker- either to be able to buy his place or to keep him from opening another successful place?

While Theodosia is searching for clues, Delanie is brow-beating her to help out a charity called Tuesday’s Child. Theo makes time for the charity, all the while wondering exactly what Parker must have stumbled upon to cause someone to kill him. With Theo crossing off suspects and adding more- she doesn’t realize that she’s skating awfully close to the truth of why Parker was murdered.

Will Theodosia be able to solve the murder? Or will the killer get the best of her?

Skeleton Letters (a Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs

Skeleton Letters is another cozy written by Laura Childs. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. I like Carmela, like her friendship with Ava, adore the New Orleans setting. Cozy books are easy reads, fun reads. And I adore a good cozy!

Carmela and Ava are bringing items to the St. Tristan’s Church when they see a crime. One of their friends has been killed, and a priceless artifact has been stolen. Babcock, Carmela’s sweetie, tells her to let the police solve the crime- but for the scrapbook buddies at Memory Mine- that is not good enough. Carmela, with a teensy bit of pushing from friends, finds herself in the middle of this investigation- turning up angles, finding red herrings, and learning about the craziness of collectors.

As Carmela and Ava continue to investigate- they stumble upon clues that put them in direct line with the killer. Will Carmela be able to save the day or are her scrapbooking days over?

 

 

Fiber and Brimstone by Laura Childs

Fiber and Brimstone by Laura Childs is the 4th book I’ve read in the Cruisin Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2013. It is my first Laura Childs book, however.

New Orleans. Halloween. What could be better? When Carmela and Ava discover the body of Brett Fowler- minutes after they overheard an argument between Jeykll Hardy and Fowler, the ladies are distressed. But Carmela puts on her sleuthing hat- all the while running her scrapbook store and vows to make sure the police don’t focus on Jekyll- after all there are many more suspects to consider. Especially when Fowlers’s business practices come to light.

Carmela’s also having to deal with her ex- Shamus and her current lover, Edgar Babcock. It’s a lot for her to deal with, but nothing that Carmela can’t handle. Coupled with her friend, Ava, the two make plans to find the killer, find Ava a boyfriend and figure out the clues for the treasure hunt. While having a spookily good time!