Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for The Clover City Files Mystery Series by Barbara Howard. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

The Clover City Files Mystery Series

by Barbara Howard

The Clover City Files Mystery Series
Cozy Mysteries
Box Set – 2 Books
1st & 2nd in Series
Setting – Fictional small town, Clover City (Mid-West, USA)
Independently Published (December 5, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 332 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8870847580
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 245 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8870316086
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CP8P5DH1

The Taste of Rain
Novella, multi-generational, diverse, young adult, clean, cozy, college town.
In “The Taste of Rain”, we follow the story of Amira, a college student who works part-time as a health aide at a local nursing home. One day, she meets an elderly resident, Claire Stewart, who confides in her that her husband was killed years ago, but nobody believed her.

Amira is hesitant to believe Claire at first, but as she gets to know her better, she realizes that there might be some truth to her story. Amira decides to investigate the case and help Claire find the killer.

She must navigate through the complexities of the past and present to find the truth and bring justice for Claire.

Along the way, Amira faces challenges both personally and professionally. She must balance her college studies with her part-time job and her investigation. She also learns to confront her own biases and assumptions about aging and the elderly.

“The Taste of Rain” is a mystery that explores the themes of trust, aging, and justice. It is a heartwarming tale of the unlikely friendship between a young college student and an elderly resident, as they work together to uncover the truth, and solve a decades-old murder.

The Spice Code
Culinary Cozy novella, multi-generational, diverse, young adult, clean, college town.
In the heart of a quiet college town, restaurant owner and chef, Raphael Parera, finds himself entangled in a web of deception that threatens not only his culinary career but his very life. Charmed by the enigmatic beauty of his new girlfriend, Isabella, Raphael is unaware of the darkness lurking beneath her captivating smile.

As their relationship deepens, Raphael suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving his cousin, Amira Cooper, frantic with worry. Unbeknownst to Isabella, he manages to send a cryptic message through a seemingly innocent bag of groceries – a silent clue hidden within a recipe’s ingredients.

Desperate to save her beloved cousin, Amira embarks on a perilous journey to decipher the clues concealed within the grocery bag. Will Amira decipher the ingredients’ hidden meanings in time to rescue Raphael, or will Isabella’s twisted game end in a tragedy that will forever alter their lives? Get ready to indulge in a mystery where every twist and turn will leave you craving more.

Character Guest Post: Amira Cooper: Matters of the Heart

Hello! It’s Amira, your friendly neighborhood college student, and I wanted to share a little piece of my heart with you. It is almost Valentine’s Day, right? 

To be honest, I’m just trying to make it through school and keep my job. And help Miss Claire and my cousin Raphael stay out of trouble. And then there’s Harper and her band of amateur paparazzi. Let’s not get started on that part. You see, my life can be quite the puzzle, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. 

So, here’s the scoop: I’ve been pondering something lately, and it’s about my fantastic boyfriend, Darius. Maybe he’s not the right guy for me. Don’t get me wrong, he’s the absolute best—supportive, caring, the whole nine yards. He’s an attorney and a very good one!

Lately, I’ve been struggling with how to balance my love for solving crimes and my love for my boyfriend. He’s a wonderful guy, truly, but there’s a little part of him that can’t quite grasp why I feel this irresistible pull to help people untangle the threads of murder cases that happen around Clover City.

In my mind, each crime is like a tangled knot that needs to be unraveled, and I can’t resist the challenge. I wish Darius could understand that it’s not about seeking danger or trying to be a superhero; it’s about bringing justice to those who can’t speak for themselves. The thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of putting together the pieces. It’s like solving a puzzle but with real-life consequences. I want him to understand why I feel this undeniable urge to help people solve these puzzles.

Trust me, it’s not that I’m seeking trouble; it’s that trouble always finds me, and turning a blind eye feels like I’m abandoning those who need help. Sure, I get it—our dates might include more searching the web and cryptic clues than he bargained for, but there’s something magical about uncovering the truth, especially when our little college town is at the heart of it all. I want Darius to understand that it’s not just about solving crimes; it’s about unraveling the stories of the people in our community.

I wish he could see that every crime solved isn’t just a win for me—it’s a victory for the people we help. The connections I make, the friendships that blossom, they’re as vital to me as acing my final in Professor Delgado’s Gerontology 101 class.

So, here’s my plea to Darius: “Dive into the world of hidden secrets and unsolved puzzles with me. Or–”

Readers, what do you think I should do?

About Barbara Howard

Barbara Howard is the author of two cozy mystery series; Finding Home and The Clover City Files. Her stories feature a female amateur sleuth, diverse characters, and a dash of romance.  She is a first-generation tech geek turned master gardener. She returned to her Midwestern hometown after an extensive career as a Department of Defense Project Manager at the Pentagon and spends most of her time treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.

Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC), Gamma Xi Phi (GXP)

Author Links

Website http://www.authorbarbarahoward.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraHowardAuthor

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/barbarahoward

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bhowardphipps

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/barbarahoward/

Blue Sky Social @barbarahoward.bsky.social

Twitter/X https://www.x.com/barbarahoward/

Purchase Links – Amazon – Books2Read 

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The Clover City Files TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 16 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

January 22 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – Both Books

January 23 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 24 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW – Both Books

January 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 28 – The Book Diva’s Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST