Tag Archive for: Harlequin

Book Covers Are Like a Rose by Any Other Name

Juliet in William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet proclaimed that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  Although this is often taken to mean what’s in a name, I have discovered that the same can be said for book covers.  This month, Harlequin Worldwide Mystery is featuring a mass market version of my 2012 IPPY winning book Maze in Blue as a May book of the month. http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=51770&cid=337 .  Although the content of the book remains the same as the original, it has received a new cover:

Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s, was first published in April 2011.  During book signings and talks, I described it as a book designed to be a beach, airplane, or night table read.  My goal was to write the type of book I enjoyed – a FUN read.  When it was first published, the cover design’s maize and blue colors hopefully resonated with Michigan fans.

In 2012, Maze in Blue received an Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) so the book’s cover was redesigned to prominently display the award’s insignia.  This took care of people who bought the book online…those who bought it at a signing were rewarded with a sticker being placed over the award symbol.

Books normally have a short life span, but Maze in Blue has defied the odds – in its 2012 trade book and e-book editions and now Harlequin’s 2014 version, it continues to prove that no matter what the cover looks like, the book still is bringing enjoyment to readers. Truly, a rose by any other name……..

Murder with Ganache Triggers Memories of Our Daughter’s Wedding

A few months ago, my husband and I lived through the insanity (with love) of our daughter getting married. The strategic planning and balancing of family, friends, and vendors was worse than plotting a novel. When I recently read Murder with Ganache:  A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdete (aka Roberta Isleib), I was reminded by its combination of mystery, romance, family conflict, food and recipes of just how smoothly our wedding weekend went. I found the book to be fun, witty and with just the right amount of clues to keep me guessing to the end.

In Murder with Ganache, Haley Snow, the food critic for Key Zest magazine, is juggling meeting her writing deadlines for restaurant reviews, doughnut and sticky bun tastings, and an article on the Hemingway cats while handling all of the details, include baking 200 cupcakes, for her best friend’s wedding.  Haley’s plate overflows when family drama and murder is added to it.

The summary blurb notes that Haley’s “parents come barreling down on the island like a category 3 hurricane and on the first night in town her stepbrother, Roby, disappears into the spring break party scene in Key West.  When Haley hears that two teenagers have stolen a jet ski, she sets aside her oven mitts and goes in search of Rory.  She finds him, barely conscious, but his female companion isn’t so lucky.  Now Haley has to let the cupcakes cool and assemble the sprinkles of clues to clear her stepbrother’s name – before someone else gets iced.”

Murder with Ganache is an enjoyable read and a well-constructed mystery that also manages to embrace family.  In addition, the book brings the quirkiness of Key West to life by including details such as the Hemingway House’s cats and the famous Courthouse Deli Bench (the bench has its own Facebook page).
Much as I enjoyed the memories that Murder with Ganache brought back, I’m really happy that our wedding weekend was comparably tame.

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Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of twelve mysteries.  Murder with Ganache is the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Haley Snow. She is a past president of Sisters in Crime.
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Debra H. Goldstein is the author of 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s.  It has been selected as a Harlequin Worldwide Mystery book of the month for May 2014.  Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! is one of thirteen short stories in the newly released Mardi Gras Murder anthology.