November 2021 Releases

October 25, 2021/in Uncategorized/by Debra

November 2021 Releases

Presented by Dru Ann Love as previously reported on Dru’s Musings

Here is a list of over 65 new titles representing major genres such as cozy mysteries, traditional mysteries, historical mysteries, and others releasing this month, with eight debut series.

The longest running series on this list is the “Murder She Wrote” franchise at 54 books.

As always, I hope there is a new title to suit everyone’s personal taste. Embrace the adventure!

November 2, 2021
Mystery of the Eight Islands by Terry Ambrose (Trouble in Paradise #11)
The Killing Carol by Jennifer Bee (Anna Greenan) *new series*
The Cry of the Hangman by Susanna Calkins (Lucy Campion #6)
Body and Soul Food by Abby Collette (Books & Biscuits) *new series*
Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum #28)
The Collective by Alison Gaylin
Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover’s #12)
Debonair in Death by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran (Murder She Wrote #54)
All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris
An Eggnog to Die For by Amy Pershing (Cape Cod Foodie #2)
Carols and Yule Perils by Trixie Silvertale (Mitzy Moon #16)
Tyndall by James L Thane
Fogged Off by Wendall Thomas (Cyd Redondo #3)
Life Without Parole by Elaine Viets (Angela Richman, Death Investigator #5)
The Attic on Queen Street by Karen White (Tradd Street #7)

November 3, 2021
Treasure Under the Tree by S. W. Hubbard (Palmyrton Estate Sale #8)
Three’s A Clowder by Gin Jones (Crazy Cat Ladies Chronicles #3)

November 4, 2021
A Stranger from the Storm by William Burton McCormick
Rising Water by Joanna Campbell Slan (Tai Chi) *new series*

November 5, 2021
The Corpse with the Granite Heart by Cathy Ace (Cait Morgan #11)
Witches, Spiders, and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley (Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic #4)

November 6, 2021
Pickled Petunia by Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case #3)

November 9, 2021
Diner Knock Out by Terri L. Austin (Rose Strickland #5) *re-release*
Stitch X For Murder by ACF Bookens (Stitches In Crime #5)
Maggie Dove and The Lost Brides by Susan Breen (Maggie Dove #3)
Death on a Shelf by Allison Brook (Haunted Library #5)
Death by Doodlebug by Carol Caverly (Thea Barlow Wyoming #4)
Fatal Solutions by Becky Clark (Crossword Puzzle #3)
The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly (Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch #4)
Down a Dark River by Karen Odden (Inspector Michael Corravan) *new series*
Dead Write by Susan C. Richards
Death Under the Sea by Rosalie Spielman (Aloha Lagoon #16)
Midnight Hour edited by Abby L. Vandiver
The Murder Before Christmas by Michele Pariza Wacek (Charlie Kingsley) *new series*
Nowhere To Hide by LynDee Walker (Faith McClellan #4)

November 10, 2021
Straight Up by Cathi Stoler (Murder On The Rocks #3)

November 12, 2021
Banana Slit by Angela K. Ryan (Seaside Ice Cream Shop) *new series*

November 15, 2021
Beating the Wrap by Julie Anne Lindsey (Bonnie & Clyde #3)

November 16, 2021
Doggone Deadly by Deborah Blake (Catskills Pet Rescue #2)
Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell (Victorian #40)
You Can’t Candle the Truth by Sarah E. Burr (Glenmyre Whim) *new series*
Styled For Murder by Nancy J. Cohen (Bad Hair Day #17)
Poison in the Pudding by Kathi Daley (Inn At Holiday Bay #17)
A Secret Never Told by Shelley Noble (Lady Dunbridge #4)

November 18, 2021
The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy

November 23, 2021
The Christmas Stranger by Keith Donnelly (Youngblood Story #2)
Marshmallows and Memories by Agatha Frost (Peridale Cafe #24)
The Mirror Dance by Catriona McPherson (Dandy Gilver #15)
Murder in Second Position by Lori Robbins (On Pointe #2)

November 29, 2021
Death Among The Stars by Sharon Linnea (Bartender’s Guide to Murder #3)

November 30, 2021
Irene in Danger by Judy Alter (Irene in Chicago #2)
Murder Yule Regret by Winnie Archer (Bread Shop #7)
High Stakes by Kristi Belcamino (Queen of Spades #7)
Killer Words by V.M. Burns (Mystery Bookshop #7)
Isabel Puddles Investigate by M.V. Byrne (Mitten State #2)
Mimi Lee Cracks the Code by Jennifer J. Chow (Sassy Cat #3)
Tales of Life and Daph by Phillipa Nefri Clark (Daphne Jones #3)
Big Trouble in Little Greektown by Kate Collins (Goddess of Greene St. #3)
Murder at the Lobstah Shack by Maddie Day (Cozy Capers Book Group #3)
Petals and Poison by Jess Dylan (Flower House #2)
Lies of Omission by Kathleen Ernst (Hanneke Bauer) *new series*
Marriage Can Be Mischief by Amanda Flower (Amish Matchmaker #3)
Claret and Present Danger by Sarah Fox (Literary Pub #4)
Murder at the Bake Sale by Lee Hollis (Maya and Sandra #2)
A Murder Like No Author by Amy Lillard (Main Street Book Club #3)
Bear A Wee Grudge by Meg Macy (Teddy Bear #5)
Christmas Candy Corpse by Rosemarie Ross (Courtney Archer #2)
The Dead Cry Justice by Rosemary Simpson (Gilded Age #6)
Do I Know You by Sarah Strohmeyer
A Counterfeit Suitor by Darcie Wilde (Rosalind Thorne #5)

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho, I’m seriously relating to a Disney cartoon

October 11, 2021/in Uncategorized/by Donnell Ann Bell

Sing along with me. . .

Book edits and kitchen remodels don’t mix!

I’ve been working on editing changes, proofreading galore on book two of my cold case series, all

while engrossed in a kitchen remodel and choking on dust and chaos. To tell you how much I miss my sink, stove, and dishwasher is an understatement. It was supposed to be completed last Thursday. But, in the time of COVID, we all know supply chain is hit and miss–the sink didn’t come in and my contractor can’t do the granite without a sink. Moreover, I’m constantly stopping my edits to deal with a subcontractor.

This morning, with my blog date utmost in mind, I waded through volumes of email for inspiration and spied something that did my heart proud–fellow Stiletto blogger Dru Ann Love’s review of yet another Stiletto member, Lois Winston.

Because I couldn’t agree more with Dru’s review of Lois’s Stitch, Bake, Die!, I thought I’d repost Dru’s musings giving full credit that her review ran on Dru’s Book Musing first. I happen to heartily agree.

I also want to go a step further before I post Dru’s opinion and say if you are a crafter interested in baking or stitchery, get thee this book. There’s a baking and stitching competition underfoot in this amateur sleuth mystery and the recipes and instructions in the back of the book are just an added bonus.

With that said, here’s Dru’s review:

Dru’s Short Musing:

In this fast-paced and action-packed whodunit, Anastasia Pollack and BFF Cloris are hosting a workshop when murder interferes in the conference activities. The more they get to know the attendees, the more it becomes apparent that these people are not what they seem. With both on the case, they have some unraveling to do to find a killer hiding in plain sight where everyone is a potential suspect. The mystery was nicely executed, with bits and pieces of clues here and there as well as humorous interludes that enhanced the telling of this tale. This is another great addition to this engagingly entertaining series and I’m patiently waiting for the wedding of the century.

Stitch, Bake, Die! by Lois Winston

Series Name: Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery #10
Genre: Cozy
Release: October 4, 2021

With massive debt, a communist mother-in-law, a Shakespeare-quoting parrot, and a photojournalist boyfriend who may or may not be a spy, crafts editor Anastasia Pollack already juggles too much in her life. So she’s not thrilled when her magazine volunteers her to present workshops and judge a needlework contest at the inaugural conference of the New Jersey chapter of the Stitch and Bake Society, a national organization of retired professional women. At least her best friend and cooking editor Cloris McWerther has also been roped into similar duties for the culinary side of the 3-day event taking place on the grounds of the exclusive Beckwith Chateau Country Club.

The sweet little old ladies Anastasia is expecting to meet are definitely old, and some of them are little, but all are anything but sweet. She’s stepped into a vipers’ den that starts with bribery and ends with murder. When an ice storm forces Anastasia and Cloris to spend the night at the Chateau, Anastasia discovers evidence of insurance scams, medical fraud, an opioid ring, long-buried family secrets, and a bevy of suspects.

Can she piece together the various clues before she becomes the killer’s next target?

Crafting tips included.

Purchase Link

About the Author: Donnell Ann Bell is an award-winning
author, including finalist in the 2020 Colorado Book Award, she is the author
of Black Pearl, book one of a series, and is currently editing book two.
You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Bookbub. Sign up for her newsletter
at www.donnellannbell.com

Clicking Our Heels – Summer Vacation Preferences

September 1, 2021/in Clicking Our Heels/by Stiletto Gang

CLICKING OUR
HEELS – SUMMER VACATION PREFERENCES

Can you
believe summer is almost over? Three more days and no more white shoes or white
pants! Before summer ends, the Stiletto Gang members thought we’d share our favorite
summer vacations – indoors/outdoors, beach/mountains, or staycation.

Debra H.
Goldstein: The Beach! Something
about the white capped swirling water and glistening sand is my nirvana.

Anita Carter:
Definitely outdoors. One of my favorite vacations was when my husband and I
traveled to Hawaii for 10 days. We island hopped. We had the best time at the
beach and hiking through the mountains and around the volcanos. I’d love to go
again.

T.K. Thorne:
I have to see the ocean regularly or something inside doesn’t get fed. Also, I
live on a mountain, so I get my tree and fresh air fix every day.

Debra
Sennefelder: Staycation. I really don’t like summer weather. I much prefer
air conditioning.

Kathryn Lane:
My husband and I spend the summers in the mountains of northern New Mexico near
Taos, where we enjoy outdoor adventures as well as watching wildlife drift by
from our cabin deck.

Dru Ann Love:
I like sightseeing various locations, so outdoors. Staycations are good as well.

Kathleen
Kaska: It’s the beach for me –
anytime.

Robin
Hillyer-Miles: Beach or staycation!

Lois Winston:
I much prefer a warm getaway in the winter, but I’m not a beach person. I love
exploring museums, ancient sites, and foreign cities.

Linda
Rodriguez: Anymore, I’m a stay-at-home person most of the time, thanks to
health issues. In summer, you’ll find me inside in the air conditioning or
sitting on my spacious porch, spinning or knitting and chatting with my
neighbors.

Shari
Randall: I’m a culture vulture, so I’d love to somewhere with great museums
and theater. I live near a beach, so I’ll admit it, I’m spoiled.

Mary Lee
Ashford: My summer vacation preference would be outdoors with a beach and a
book! Staycations are fun but since I’ve been working from home since March
2020, I am more than ready to see some walls that aren’t my own.

Gay Yellen:
Mountains. Hiking in a cool mountain forest is the best break from summer in
the city.

Lynn McPherson: I love the beach and the mountains. I’m home most of the
time so when vacation time rolls around I’m ready to go explore new places.

Cathy Perkins: What is a vacation these days? When I can travel again, definitely the beach!

Caddyshack revisited by Dru Ann Love

August 23, 2021/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

We have pigeons. They can be annoying when they gather. Especially on my balcony railing.

I’ve tried everything. Shooing them off the balcony. Spritzing them with water. And yet the continue to land on my railing and make a mess. Now they come onto the balcony and walk around leaving a mess there as well. So the battle has begun in earnest.

Repellent ribbons, they worked well until rain caused the ribbons to shrivel up and lose their shine.

Repellent device #1, they did keep the pigeons away, but they made too much noise when it swung against the glass panel

Spinners, they worked fine until mother nature unleashed strong winds and spun my spinners from their pole into the ground below. Later I found remnants of my spinners.

Repellent device #2, same strong winds took these away as well.

Spikes, I took a gamble and bought these spikes. After losing the spinners, I put one strip up and watch a pigeon land on my railing, take a few steps and encountered my spikes and flew away. Victory, but now I have to wait to see what mother nature will do to these spikes before I put the rest down.

Do you have troublesome pests?

Rambles from a reader by Dru Ann Love

June 28, 2021/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

I have nothing.

I was going to give you stats from my blog, but decided it wasn’t important for this blog. Check out my blog at drusbookmusing.com. Would you like seeing those stats?

I was going to talk about return to the office – first week in July. Have you returned back to the office?

I was going to talk about my adventure last week – first time back in the city and met a few friends for lunch. Lots of chatting and hugs galore was given. It felt good to eat in a restaurant and laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Have you been in and about lately?

I was going to talk about the struggle with my reading. It still takes me a week and a half to read one book. One. Book. – How is your reading?

I was going to talk about movies – Have you seen “In The Heights?”

I was going to talk about streaming channels – my favorites are Netflix and Amazon Prime. What’s your favorite?

I was going to talk about TV watching – there is nothing on TV these days. My TV viewership is down, down, down. What about you? Are you watching less TV?

I was going to talk about traveling – I’m getting on a plane to visit my mom. What about you, any travel plans?

I was going to talk about virtual conferences – I’m looking forward to attending More Than Malice. Are you going? You can register here.

I was going to talk about reader convention – Bouchercon is in August and I’m going. It’s my celebration for the year I had and also I get to see my friends. Are you going? You can register here.

Thank you for reading my ramblings.

Anticipation by Dru Ann Love

April 26, 2021/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

The definition of anticipation is an emotion involving pleasure or anxiety in considering or awaiting an expected event.

So, what am I anticipating? How about books?

How does one become a reader? by Dru Ann Love

February 22, 2021/in Uncategorized/by The Stiletto Gang

It starts when someone, most likely mom, reads to you

Then you are read from picture books, pretty pictures with words

Then you begin to understand the words

Then you realize different words make sentences

Now you know what happens on each page, sort of like you are reading even if you don’t know the words

You are older, and can point out the book that you want read to you

You know a few of the words by sight as they go along with the story

What is that on the table, a box of cereal

Lots of words but the picture tells what you are eating

And you know the words when you see them

Ahh, time for school where you will learn your A-B-Cs

Now you know what those words are in the book and on the cereal box

Look ma, I’m reading!

You are now a reader and let the fun begin.

What do you remember about your early reading days?

It’s That Time Again by Dru Ann Love

October 26, 2020/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

where I have to come up with a post about whatever. And like always, I have nothing. So I’ll ramble along until my word count reach 150.

How is everyone doing during this pandemic crisis? Me, I’m so-so.

When you choose to live alone, it is nothing. You go about your business and life goes on. When you’re in a pandemic crisis and live alone, you really are alone. Because I’m immune-challenged, no one could come visit and I was restricted to my home. Once things started settling down, I took that first trip to my doctors. Uber is my friend. I wear a mask, not for you, but for me. I limit going outdoors, not for you, but for me. If I go out, I go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and of course the doctor’s office. I always get the first appointment – less people to encounter. I hit the grocery and pharmacy when they first open, again less people to encounter.

My reading has somewhat suffered. Sometimes it takes me longer to read a book for review, but if I’m reading a book to be read, I can read it in 2 days. When I’m not reading, I’m watching movies or a recorded TV show.

Books I’ve read/am reading:

What I last watched:

I’m also quilting more. It is keeping me busy, figuring out color patterns and designs. I’m always amazed at the finished product.

I miss seeing my friends. I miss attending reader/fan conventions. I miss my girl’s weekend vacation trip.

What I don’t miss is having to climb subway stairs.

How are you handling things?

Virtual Activities by Dru Ann Love

August 24, 2020/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

The year is almost three-quarters done and activities that we would have attended in-person are now virtual.

I’ve never gone to a noir before because 1) they are in bars, dark bars 2) they are at night 3) they are never in my neighborhood 4) I prefer not to take trains at night and 5) it is mostly authors I don’t read. Virtual noirs changed that, and I’ve discovered so many authors I would not have blinked twice at if I saw their name. So, hooray for virtual noir. A shout-out to A shout-out to Ed Aymar and Alex Segura.

Then there is zoom. Oh, how I remember the original TV show (%Come on and Zoom, Zoom, zooma-Zoom%). But we are not talking about that. I’ve participated in a zoom talk with Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia chapter, attended a zoom memorial for a favorite author, attended several zoom book launches, and attended many a zoom talks with authors and friends. With one set of friends, we played this game, Spicy Farkel. I like zoom the best because you can interact with people.

Then there are the indie bookstores that are holding book launches as well. I’ve attended several of those and enjoy listening to the Q&As from the book seller. I don’t buy print books, but I will donate to their virtual tip jar – what a great concept.

Then there is Facebook. I’ve attended a few Facebook Live video author events and you are listening to the author and to interact with them, you leave a question in the chat area and the host will ask it for you. Some have book launches in their feed, whether it’s on their page or in a group page, where you have to “refresh” the page. I’m not a fan of constantly having to refresh, but it is a way to interact with the authors one-on-one during the book launch.

Now, here is the BSP – my fellow blogger, Kristopher Zgorski and I have a joint YouTube venture called BOLO*Musings where we talk about books. Another example of being with our friends and talking books. You can see our YouTube videos HERE.

Have you organized or participated in virtual activities? Do you have a preference?

2020 and J.D. Robb by Dru Ann Love

February 24, 2020/in Drus Book Musings/by Dru Ann Love

2020 is here and we are already in the second month and with this post heading into the third month also known as my birthday month.

When 2020 starts, it means reader/fan conventions will soon be upon us. For the first time in several years, I’m not going to Left Coast Crime. I had planned to take an action, but the alignment that I needed wasn’t in the cards, so I’ll be missing LCC.

The next reader/fan convention I will be attending is Malice. This is by far my favorite event and 2020 is my eleventh year attending. It’s great to see friends you don’t see for a year and meet new ones that you meet via social media.

But before that, my first event of the year was attending a book signing with the one and only Nora Roberts aka J.D. Robb. The book signing was for Golden In Death, the 50th book in the In Death Series. The main reason for my attendance was for her to sign my book, and to see my photo in the inside jacket of the book cover. So how did that happen?

Her publisher put out a call for her J.D. Robb readers to submit a selfie with one of her book covers. When I first came on Facebook, I took a selfie of me wearing shades sitting in front a bookcase holding her book. I did not suspect I would win, because I never win a contest, but lo and behold, I got an email saying my photo made it in and I could not wait to see it.

So, my friends and I trekked to Boonsboro, MD and Turn The Page Bookstore and bought our book before it hit the shelves. It pays to own the bookstore and other properties in the area. I opened the book, scanned and gave out a yelp, because I found my photo. While waiting our turn to get our book signed, we dined at Vesta, yes, another location owned by Nora. But the best part was as I got closer to Nora, it was decided that she would stand, do I got my picture taken with a standing Nora.

The photos below tell the story of a wonderful adventure.

Turn The Page Bookstore