Featuring on Friday - Gigi Pandian

The last author I am going to feature is Gigi Pandian. I don't remember how I found her books but really like them.

About:

"I’m Gigi Pandian, a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. I write the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series (about a globe-trotting Indian-American historian), and the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (about an alchemist and a gargoyle chef in Portland, Oregon).

I’m the only child of cultural anthropologist parents from New Mexico and the southern tip of India. I spent my childhood being dragged around the world on their research trips, and that’s when I started writing stories that were a cross between Agatha Christie and Indiana Jones. It’s what I still do today.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband and a gargoyle who watches over our backyard organic vegetable garden. My debut mystery novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine, and several of my other books and stories have gone on to win additional mystery awards. Yes, this has been a fun ride! I’m now six years cancer-free, and I’m having a wonderful time on this journey."

Gigi writes two series and short stories.

1. The Accidental Alchemist series - 3 books in the series with #4 coming out January 2019

The Accidental Alchemist, The Masquerading Magician, The Elusive Elixir. The Alchemist Illusion is coming out in 2019.

"Unpacking her belongings in her new hometown of Portland, Oregon, herbalist and reformed alchemist Zoe Faust can’t help but notice she’s picked up a stowaway. Dorian Robert-Houdin is a living, breathing three-and-half-foot gargoyle—not to mention a master of French cuisine—and he needs Zoe’s expertise to decipher a centuries-old text. Zoe, who’s trying to put her old life behind her, isn’t so sure she wants to reopen her alchemical past . . . until the dead man on her porch leaves her no choice."

Zoe gets involved in local mysteries in town while trying to figure out how to keep Dorian from turning back to stone. Dorian is/was master chef and cooks up lots of delicious cuisine while Zoe solves mysteries. I have read two of the three Alchemist books and really like the story line. I love the character Dorian the gargoyle. He is a lovable character, not an ominous, scary gargoyle like you think of on old buildings. And I like whimsical, odd characters.

Bonus: the books include recipes from Gigi. I make the Vegan Oatmeal cookies once or twice a month. So good and good for you.

2. Jaya Jones Adventure Series: 5 books in the series

Artifact, Pirate Vishnu, Quicksand, Michelangelo's Ghost, The Ninja's Illusion

"When historian Jaya Jones receives a mysterious package containing a jewel-encrusted artifact from India, she discovers the secrets of a lost Indian treasure may be hidden in a Scottish legend from the days of the British Raj.

But she’s not the only one on the trail.

From San Francisco to the Highlands of Scotland, Jaya must evade a shadowy stalker as she follows hints from the hastily scrawled note to a remote archaeological dig.

Helping her decipher the cryptic clues are her magician best friend, a devastatingly handsome art historian with something to hide, and a charming archaeologist running for his life.

When a member of the dig’s crew is murdered, Jaya must figure out which of the scholars vying for her affections might be the love of her life—and which one is a killer. "

Short Stories:

1. The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery

"An unsolved murder from the 1930s.
A ghost story to explain the impossible crime.
A dead man in the haunted library.
And no way for the authorities to reach the survivors until the snowstorm clears…

A snowstorm waylays Jaya Jones and Tamarind Ortega. It seems almost too good to be true that they find rooms for the night in beautiful old inn—until they find a dead man clutching an Agatha Christie novel in the secluded hotel’s library. Worse yet, Tamarind is accused of the crime.

To clear her friend, Jaya must delve into the history of the hotel’s haunted library. The present-day mystery is eerily similar to a mysterious unsolved death in the 1930s—could it be the work of the library’s avenging ghost?"

This is a "locked room mystery. I have read it and it is excellent. This has opened my eyes to the Jaya Jones series.

2. Six anthologies of locked room mysteries featuring Jaya Jones stories

Malice Domestic Most Conventional

Asian Pulp

Boucheron Anthology: Murder at the Beach

Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology

Fish Nets: The Second Guppy Anthology

Sisters In Crime Los Angeles: Ladies Night

Other People's Baggage: Three interconnected mystery novellas

Coming out in October 2018 is The Cambodian Curse & Other Stories: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Short Story Collection. These are stories from the above anthologies written by Gigi. 

"A treasure trove of nine locked room mysteries. Appearing here for the first time, novelette The Cambodian Curse:  When an ancient and supposedly cursed Cambodian sculpture disappears from an impenetrable museum, and the carving’s owner is killed by an invisible assailant while a witness is a few feet away, historian Jaya Jones and her old nemesis Henry North team up to solve the baffling crime.

Stories included: “The Cambodian Curse,” “The Hindi Houdini,” “The Haunted Room,” “The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn,” “The Curse of Cloud Castle,” “Tempest in a Teapot,” “A Dark and Stormy Light,” “The Shadow of the River,” plus bonus novella Fool’s Gold."
It is available for preorder. I have mine queued up.

You can read more about Gigi, how she came to writing books, all of her research adventures and more of her bio at this link. She is very interesting and I recommend her books if you like adventure/treasure hunting books, mysteries with whimsy and/or locked room mysteries. And I love the covers of her books.

http://gigipandian.com/

Fields' Guide to Abduction by Julie Mulhern

Julie Mulhern has a new series; Poppy Fields Adventures.

I read the first book; Fields' Guild to Abduction a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.



About: 
"Poppy Fields, Hollywood IT girl extraordinaire, agreed to a week at the newest, most luxurious resort in Cabo. After all, what's better than the beach when a girl is feeling blue? When Poppy is abducted, she'll need all her smarts, all her charm, and a killer Chihuahua, to save herself in this new series from the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Country Club Murders.

Dead body #1 found in bed, with me. That was a shock.

Dead body #2 found in bed, not with me. That was a relief.

Dead body #3 died telling me I’m a lousy actress. I already knew that.

Dead body #4 died trying to kill me.

Dead body #5 died kidnapping me.

Dead body #6 died guarding me.

Dead body #7 was a really bad man.

Dead body #8 was an even worse man.

That's a lot of dead bodies for a girl looking for a week's relaxation in Cabo. And, I’m probably leaving a few out—math isn’t my thing. Unless I can escape the cartel, I might be the next dead body."

Poppy is the daughter of a famous actress. She was raised around actors/actresses, has plenty of money etc. When her boyfriend dies of an apparent overdose, she needs to get away. She has an offer to go to a resort in Mexico as part of a PR event, all expenses paid. Sounds like just what she needs.

This was such a good book! Poppy may be rich, and have everything at her beck and call but she can take care of herself. All the money and "things" are just fluff. Poppy gets into quite a predicament but out smarts the bad guys. The writing is great. You will feel like you are right there with Poppy. I "jumped" several times and shouted "no don't do that!".  She meets up with Consuelo, a Chihuahau  whom she bonds with. Small but mighty. You will be rooting for the dog too.

I am looking forward to the next Poppy adventure. which is in the works.

I received a free copy and voluntarily provided this review.

Featuring on Fridays - Chris Patchell

This week I want to talk about Chris Patchell. She is back on my reading radar this week.
I read her first Holt Series book, In The Dark and loved it. While waiting for the second book in the series, I got off in the book weeds and missed it. BUT In The Dark stuck with me and with her newsletter this week, the little bell went off in my head. Yoo Hoo! You wanted to read her next book and now look! She has even more!



About Chris:

"Chris Patchell is the bestselling author of In the Dark and the Indie Reader Discovery Award winning novel Deadly Lies. A tech worker by day and a writer by night, Chris Patchell pens gritty suspense novels set in the Pacific Northwest.

Writing has been a lifelong passion for Chris. She fell in love with storytelling in the third grade when her half-page creative writing assignment turned into a five-page story on vampires. Even back then Chris had a gift for writing intricate plots that were so good her father refused to believe she didn't steal them from comic books.

Her novels have been praised by Kevin O’Brien and Robert Dugoni, and her rich complex plot lines and well-drawn characters will keep you turning pages well into the night. When she’s not shipping software or writing books, Chris is hanging out with her husband, kids, and two crazy dogs."

1. Holt Foundation Series:

In The Dark: A Holt Foundation Story #1
Huffington Post Top Indie Books of 2016
Indie Books Top 10 Readers Choice June 2017

"Marissa Rooney stands in her daughter’s empty dorm room, a half-used vial of insulin clutched in her trembling hand. Brooke has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn’t seen her since that night in the bar. And if Marissa has Brooke’s insulin, it means that Brooke does not. But Marissa isn’t alone in her terror. A phantom from her past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive…

In the dark."

I read this book when it came out. It is a real page turner. 

Dark Harvest: A Holt Foundation Story #2

"When a single-mother-to-be goes missing on a snowy Seattle night, the investigators at the Holt Foundation fear that the police have zeroed in on the wrong suspect. With the baby's due date weeks away, two lives hang in the balance as the harrowing search for the missing woman unfolds.

For single-mother Marissa Rooney, the case feels personal. With her own daughter still recovering from the trauma of being kidnapped, Marissa is torn between trying to help her daughter recover and her growing responsibilities at the foundation. Her fragile new relationship with the scarred widower, Seth Crawford, adds another layer of complication to an already difficult situation.

Then a second pregnant woman goes missing.

As the Holt Foundation's chief investigator, Seth desperately races to unravel the threads linking the two missing women and their babies. His success or failure could mean the difference between life or death for another innocent woman and her unborn child. Then a chilling clue surfaces, revealing a sinister motive behind the crime. With time running out, Marissa has a secret of her own that could make her the target of a madman and throw all their lives into jeopardy.

Entangled in the roots of a growing madness, Seth and Marissa are in a race against time to stop a killer before he can reap his dark harvest..."

2. Jill Shannon Murder Series

Deadly Lies: Jill Shannon Murder Series Book One
Winner of the 2015 Indie Reader Discovery Award for Best Fiction
Indie Book Award 2015

"As a teenager, Jill Shannon fell victim to her stepfather's cruel abuse. Now, as an adult, Jill's made it-she has a successful career and a solid, if not static, marriage to Detective Alex Shannon. Together they live out what seems to be a perfect life in Seattle.

The vow she made as a teenager to never again be a victim lies dormant-until one day a reporter lures her to his hotel room under the pretense of an interview-and suddenly it all comes rushing back.

Jill seeks revenge on the reporter, triggering a series of events that leads Jill down a wormhole of retribution, forcing her to spin an ever-widening web of lies.

Meanwhile, Alex is on the case of a series of murders that began as cyber relationships. There seems to be a familiar fingerprint on these crimes, but Alex refuses to believe that the murderer could be so close to him."

For those who couldn't put down The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo comes a thrilling ride a la Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where husband and wife stand on opposite sides of a divide created by lies and rooted in a dark and deadly past."

Vow of Silence: Jill Shannon Murder Series Book Two
Winner of the Pacific Northwest Literary Contest for Best Mystery/Thriller 

"Vows made in silence will scream the truth.

Five years after the brutal slaying of her husband, software executive Jill Shannon is ready to take the next step in her life. But with her wedding to prosecuting attorney Conner Manning just eight weeks away, her future father-in-law’s political ambitions for her fiancé threaten all her hopes. Jill’s past holds dark secrets. Secrets she can’t afford to have exposed under the relentless lights of a political campaign. 
When Phoenix Detective David Shaw turns up at Jill’s door asking questions about a reporter's murder, he has no idea what a lethal Pandora’s Box he’s just opened. Was the womanizing reporter killed by a jealous husband, or was it related to his drug use? Or did it have something to do with the secret expose the reporter was working on? Jill Shannon looks like a dead-end lead but Shaw can’t shake the feeling the beautiful widow has secrets she’s not sharing.
Jill is caught between the sins of her past and the shattered hopes for her future. Shaw finds himself drawn deeper into a twisted labyrinth of lies and danger. One thing is clear: some vows are made out loud in front of witnesses. But some vows are made in silence, and witnesses can’t be left alive. "

Mostly Murder Till Death is a mystery anthology that Chris contributed to.

"Collected here are eleven mysteries; ten of them brand new. We are proud to include a classic short by Lawrence Block, New York Times bestselling author and Mystery Writers of America Grand Master.
Open this collection and plunge into the stories... some grim and bloody, some light and even a little bit funny. You won't know what you're getting into until you reach the end of each cunning mystery."

Chris's story is Forsaking All Others: A home invasion turns deadly for Mally and Jack Gardiner, whose rocky marriage is built upon a twisted bed of lies."

Although I have only read one of these books, I really recommend them if you like thrillers. All of the reviews are excellent and I really liked In The Dark. 

Here is Chris's website: https://www.chrispatchell.com/

You can also go back and read my review of In The Dark. 

Excuse me. I have to get reading.

Featuring on Friday - Katherine Hayton

I think I started reading Katherine Hayton's books through a read and review offering a few years ago. She writes a couple of different genre. She writes psychological thrillers, police procedurals and now cozies! I serendipitously received a newsletter from her last week, talking about her most recent books and really wanted to share about her this week. She lives in New Zealand. I have followed her for a couple of years and find her interesting and really funny, by the way.


About:

"Katherine Hayton is a middle-aged woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch her entire life, and resides a two-minute walk from where she was born. For some reason, she's developed a rich fantasy life."


1. Christchurch Crime Thriller books; three books. 


Found, Near Water, Skeletal, Breathe and Release are the three books in this series.

"Lost Children. Lost Memories. Lost Minds.

Found, Near Water: "When Rena Sutherland wakes in hospital following a car accident, she discovers her daughter Chloe is missing. Four days have passed. Four days during which no one searched for Chloe, no one alerted the police, no one even noticed she was missing."
Skeletal: Daina Harrow is dead. She’s been dead for a decade, her skeletal remains hidden beneath the foundations of a house in a nondescript subdivision. When earthquake repairers unearth her bones, the coroner begins an inquest into her death. As each witness takes a turn to lie about her on the stand, Daina’s on hand to tell her side of the story."
Breathe and Release: "Two days’ worth of memories is all that Elisabet has. It’s all she thinks she needs. Until the care offered to her by a husband she doesn’t remember, descends into aggression and violence.Lillian lies hogtied in an underground cell. Forget about escape—unless she can manage the necessities of life, she’ll be dead within days. Kristen lost her house, her friends, and her confidence when her parents violence forced a separation. Just as she’s starting to recover lost ground, her injured stepmother moves back into the family home. Has her stepmother lost her memory, or lost her mind? And will Elisabet recover the secrets locked in her damaged memory in time to set them all free?"

Breathe and Release was the first book by Katherine that I read. Definitely a psychological thriller! Creepy. The ending is really something. Think Gone Girl....

2. Ngaire Blake Mysteries: three books in this series. I have read them all and loved them. All gripping, page turners.

The Three Deaths of Magdalene: "Forty years ago Magdalene Lynton drowned in a slurry. She choked to death as her hands scrabbled for purchase on the smooth concrete walls. A farmhand discovered her bloated body three days later.
Or she didn't.
Paul Worthington just confessed to her murder.
Forty years ago Magdalene Lynton died in a dirty shed. He smothered her life along with her cries for help and tossed her defiled corpse into a river when he was done.
Or he didn't."

The Second Stage of Grief: "A false accusation. A brutal murder. Can Ngaire find a killer before he finds her? Ngaire Blakes is trying to put her life back together. The ex-cop resigned from the police after a vicious assault left her battling PTSD. Dragged into a murder investigation, she’s shocked to discover that all the evidence points to her."

The Only Secret Left to Keep: "Detective Ngaire Blakes is back on the case when a skeletonized murder victim is discovered - a crime that took place during the Springbok Tours of 1981. A period that pitted father against son, town against city, and police against protestors. 
When the victim is identified as Sam Andie, a young African American man transplanted from the States to NZ by his family, Ngaire must investigate whether racial motives were behind the death. In line with evidence from the forensic pathologist, a police baton could easily have been the murder weapon. Or was his death connected to Sam's girlfriend--a young woman convicted of a savage double homicide in the same week that Sam disappeared?"

Now here are the cozies mysteries.

3. The Sweet Baked Mystery series: There are six books in the series.

"Welcome to Hanmer Springs. Small Town. Big Secrets. With a divorce pending and her career hanging in the balance, Holly Waterston returns to her hometown of Hanmer Springs to lick her wounds. The last thing she expects is for a series of murders to occur in the township. As each crime unfolds, Holly and her sister Crystal must roll up their sleeves and get to work if they're to track down the culprits while keeping themselves and their neighbors safe. Not to mention, they need to keep the township of Hanmer Springs well-stocked with their delicious array of freshly-baked cupcakes."

4. Food Bowl Mysteries: there are three books in this series. I haven't read them but the titles and descriptions make me laugh. I have two cats.

An Impawsible Situation:  "When his food is at stake, Thor must sacrifice nap-time. When Thor's human puts the wrong brand of food in the cat bowl, it ruins his entire day. After numerous entreaties prove ineffective, Thor embarks on an adventure to find out what's gone wrong."

Cat Red-Handed "Sometimes a cat's gotta do what a cat's got to do. Thor is back on the case again, tracing down the source of his food bowl crisis so life can return to normal. With a rumbling stomach feeding his motivation, Thor must confront his oldest enemy to gain the information that he needs."
You're Kitten Me! "A heavy responsibility weighs upon Thor's small shoulders. Now that Thor has sorted out the local dairy and the distribution chain that supplies it, by rights he should have received his reward of a great meal. Unfortunately, all he's opened is a large can of worms."

5. Tea Shop Cozy Mysteries: Four books in this series

Pushing Up Daisies, Berry Murderous, Deathbed of Roses, Orange Juiced: " Fifty-something widow Willow Foxglove's dream is to operate a herbal tea shop. If only she could stop tripping over dead bodies long enough to organize the business! When murder comes to peaceful Aniseed Valley, Willow Foxglove is on the case. Believing the local sheriff to be unequal to the challenge, she pursues leads in between building a new tea shop and looking after her Maine Coon kitten, Mavis. As each crime unfolds, she draws on the book-smarts of best friend Harmony and conspiracy-laden facts from second-best friend Reg to help untangle the evidence. And, of course, she can always rely on handy hints from her favorite TV show of all time - Miss Walsham Investigates! "

6. The Buzz Kill : The Honeybee Mysteries #1 

"When a man is found dead near middle-aged beekeeper Alice Townsend's beehives, it sets the town abuzz! When middle-aged beekeeper Alice Trentwell installs some hives in Christchurch's red zone, she looks forward to her bees pollinating the bounty of fruit trees in the area. Instead, after just one day, a dead body is discovered nearby covered in bee stings. Now the police believe that a killer used her bees as a murder weapon. 

The Honeybee Mysteries are quick 1-2 hour reads perfect for filling in time waiting for appointments, commuting to work, or when your significant other insists on watching the show that makes you roll your eyes! The stories contain no swearing, no cliffhangers, and no graphic scenes but are chockablock full of bees. "

7. A Ray of Pitch Black: The Goth Girls Mysteries #1

"It's all fun and games until somebody raises the dead! When the Goth Girls—Elvira, Midnight, and Winter—stumble across a book of old spells, Elvira secretly hopes one will cure her mother's chronic illness. Unfortunately, the spell to do that is on a page somebody has torn out.

This cozy mystery is free from swearing, gore, and graphic scenes (but may contain the occasional ghost.) "

I haven't read Katherine's cozies but do have a couple in my e stack. I am sure they are great. I asked her how she happened to change genres. She said she has been "concentrating on cozies this year but has some ideas for a new police procedural series and a military police procedural." 

Oh, she also writes fantasy under the pen name of Lee Hayton. 

I have loved every book of Katherine's that I have read. I highly recommend her books. Obviously, she has something for everyone!

Here is the link to her webpage and an interview with her, I believe from a couple of years ago, based on the books she talks about.

 https://katherinehayton.com/

You can also find her on Facebook. (She posts the funniest things.) You can find her books on Amazon and Goodreads.