Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Slayed by Souvlaki (A Callie’s Kitchen Cozy Mystery) by Jenny Kales. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Greek vacations can be murder! Recipes are included in this cozy mystery set in the Greek Islands.
Slayed by Souvlaki (A Callie’s Kitchen Cozy Mystery)
by Jenny Kales
I received this book free; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.
Slayed by Souvlaki (A Callie’s Kitchen Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Independently published (October 30, 2021)
Paperback : 267 pages
Callie Costas can’t believe she is finally traveling to Greece with her significant other, Detective Ian Sands. However, this isn’t your average voyage: Callie’s father has invited a slew of colorful family members to his beautiful childhood village to celebrate his recent marriage. Callie is especially delighted to be reunited with her Greek “Aunt Sweetie” aka Glykeria.
The Costas family’s Greek getaway turns to Greek tragedy when murder turns up on the menu at the seaside restaurant of her father’s friend, Dimitrios. A restaurant employee has been killed and Dimitrios is a prime suspect.
With a hodge-podge group of tourists and villagers to round out the suspect list, can Callie help her father clear his friend’s name, before the killer skewers her?
Guest Post: Exploring the World Through Cozy Mysteries by Jenny Kales
For nearly two years, many of us have been unable to travel as much as many of us would like. But readers know that we always have books, and books can be a great escape! As luck would have it, the plans for the latest book in my Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries, SLAYED BY SOUVLAKI, the fifth book in the series, features the characters on a trip to the Greek Islands. Just a note: While it’s fun to start at the beginning, each of the books in the series can be read as a standalone.
For those not familiar with the Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series, the books are normally set in the fictional waterfront town of Crystal Bay, Wisconsin. The Greek Islands may seem like a far cry from this setting but as Callie soon finds out, there are many similarities.
First a little background on the series: The Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries follow Greek-American Calliope “Callie” Costas, a single mom and super-busy owner of a Greek eatery/bakery featuring both Midwestern classics and traditional Greek delicacies. Of course, Callie also falls into the role of amateur sleuth. A loyal daughter to her widower father and a devoted mom to Olivia, her 11-year-old, Callie has also recently entered into a serious relationship with Detective Ian Sands.
There’s a lot to juggle in Callie’s life, and she has been dreaming of a getaway. In my latest book, SLAYED BY SOUVLAKI, she finally gets one, but it turns out a lot differently than she imagined! Mayhem, family drama, murder and of course, delicious food converge into an action-packed adventure that turns from Greek trip to Greek tragedy when an employee of her father’s lifelong friend is murdered.
If you’re looking to explore a different culture, you will find elements of Callie’s Greek heritage in all the books in the series. SLAYED BY SOUVLAKI takes this one step further and lets you explore the Greek island and villages where Callie’s father, George, grew up before making his way to the United States. On the fictional island of Kalos, inspired by locations in the Cyclades Islands, you’ll encounter many delights along with Callie: ancient ruins, gorgeous scenery, turquoise seas, charming shops and of course, delicious food! From the Greek taverna owned by a lifelong friend of Callie’s father, to a sweet shop filled with things like tempting Greek pastries and European gelato. As always, recipes are included at the end of the book!
Because food plays such a big role in the Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries, and because the holidays are right around the corner, I’m including a cookie recipe that is a reader favorite: Greek Snowball Cookies. These yummy little cookies look so pretty on a holiday cookie plate and are a crowd pleaser. Also, note the flavoring variations. Unlike many cookies of this type, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are nut free.
Kourabiethes: Greek Snowball Cookies
Try this recipe from the cozy mystery book, Slayed by Souvlaki by Jenny Kales
Ingredients
- 1 lb. butter very soft
- 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar plus more for sprinkling on cookies
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 t anise OR
- 1 t orange extract OR
- 1 t vanilla
- 5-6 c. all-purpose flour enough to make a soft dough
Instructions
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(You can mix the extracts, e.g., anise with ½ tsp orange or the orange with the vanilla, for different flavor combinations according to your taste.)
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Beat softened butter in a standing mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until very light and fluffy. Add confectioner’s sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and ouzo (or extract), beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour a little at a time until soft dough is formed that can be handled easily.
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Taking about a teaspoonful at a time, (I use a small ice-cream scoop) roll into a small ball about the size of a walnut. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown on the bottoms.
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Roll in powdered sugar while still hot. When cool, sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar again.
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Makes about 5 dozen.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Greece – or Crystal Bay, Wisconsin, through the Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries. Thanks for having me on your blog today!
About Jenny Kales
Jenny Kales is the author of The Callie’s Kitchen Mystery Series, featuring Greek-American Calliope Costas, feisty food business owner and amateur sleuth, who lives in a scenic Wisconsin town with colorful characters — and a high murder rate! Each book contains several delicious recipes, both Greek and American. Callie’s latest adventure, SLAYED BY SOUVLAKI is the 5th Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series and was released in October 2021.
Jenny is an avid reader, cook and baker and she’s addicted to reading and British TV mysteries. She lives just outside of Chicago with her husband and is the mom of two daughters and one cute but demanding Yorkshire terrier. She’s hard at work on additional writing projects including more Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries and a new series releasing in 2022.
Author Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennykalesauthor/
Website: https://jennykales.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jenny_Kales
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennykales_author/
- Purchase Links – Amazon
- Also available on Kindle Unlimited
Enter the giveaway
Slayed by Souvlaki TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 29
Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
November 30
Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
December 1
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
Novels Alive – GUEST POST
December 2
Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
December 3
Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT
December 4
Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 5
FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
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Looks like a cute book.
Thanks for the contest.
Thanks, Sarah! I hope you enjoy the book and good luck with the contest!
Thanks for having me on your blog! I hope your readers enjoy the book and the recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping!