Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery) by Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
by Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell
Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wyatt, Arizona (fictitious setting)
Independently Published (September 19, 2023)
Print length : 273 pages
At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program.
Aspiring mystery author Emma Banefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’ conference during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be all about relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip around the sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desert thunderstorm.
When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timid assistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipated tranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, and betrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet erupts into a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered, Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery that jumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller.
With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateur sleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitive Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detective does, or will a murderer outwit them all?
Guest Post: Journey to a Cozy Mystery
My interest in mysteries took flight in third grade. At one of my favorite places, the children’s section of the public library, I spotted an eerie cover and was immediately intrigued. I couldn’t wait to get home and devour The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy. Suspenseful, I’ll admit, yet after many years, I can’t recall a thing about the raggedy mummy or the plucky kids who solved the crime. What the book did do is encourage me to read more books of a similar type. Thank goodness for the Trixie Beldon series. Her neighborhood crime solving escapades delightfully fed my curiosity.
As I got older, I drifted to Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers’ stories featuring the clever Lord Peter Wimsey. Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Tony Hillerman had my interest. For a time, I focused on British mystery authors like P.D. James, Anne Perry, Elly Griffiths, Anne Cleves and Martha Grimes, reading each book upon publication. I read American authors who set their series in England. Even Nordic Noir received its share of attention, as did historical mysteries and the lighter stories of M.C. Beaton and Elizabeth Peters. If you’ve not read her Amelia Peabody series, you’re missing out. Her stories, usually set at an archeological dig in Egypt, are bright and funny. Deborah Crombie, Elizabeth George, Charles Todd, Jacqueline Winspear, C.S. Harris, Victoria Thompson, Kate Morton, Charlaine Harris, Rhys Bowen are just a few of my favorite mystery writers. A practical person might wonder where I find all the time to read.
I wonder, too. Maybe I’m a fast reader. In truth, I love mystery—dark or light, historical or contemporary, serious or funny. The sub-genre doesn’t really matter. Finding the killer does. Once the crime puzzle is set, I race to the end. And if by chance, I figure out who did it before the principal character does, I feel a great sense of satisfaction.
So it wasn’t a big jump that after writing two romances, I glided into romantic suspense with my Cady Delafield series. When my dear friend and fellow writer, Brenda Whiteside approached me with a series proposal about two sister sleuths, I got excited. The premise is fashioned after Brenda and her sister’s respective birthday dinners and always includes a Chocolate Martini. Thus, it made sense to title the series The Chocolate Martini Sisters. In the stories, the bond between the sisters, Emma and Nic, is as important as the murder. They are as diverse as they are similar. Nic is creative, intuitive and impulsive. Emma is analytical, fact-driven and careful. They are each other’s best friend and equally enjoy solving a caper. Best of all, they’re all about solving a mystery.
Reading, Writing and Murder is the second in this series. I hope you are intrigued and excited to read about the lively sisters and their perplexing capers. I certainly had a blast writing about them.
About the Authors
Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.
Website Facebook Amazon Author Page Goodreads Author Page
Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.
Visit Brenda’s Website Facebook Twitter Blog Amazon Author Page Goodreads Author Page BookBub Instagram
Join her Newsletter Group here.
Purchase Links
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Reading, Writing, and Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 19 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 19 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
September 20 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 21 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
September 22 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
September 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 23 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
September 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 24 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT
September 25 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 25 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 26 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 26 – Bea’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 27 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 27 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
September 28 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 28 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 29 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 30 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
September 30 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
October 1 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
October 1 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 2 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW
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