#maddieday

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I was not able to review when they were first released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf. I can't believe this is the last #FlashbackFriday of 2023.

Murder on Cape Cod (A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Massachusetts Kensington (December 31, 2019) Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496722884 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496722881 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07R5KCG9V

Summer is busy season for Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida’s bicycle shop, nestled in the quaint, seaside hamlet of Westham, Massachusetts. She’s expecting an influx of tourists at Mac’s Bikes; instead, she discovers the body of Jake Lacey. Mac can’t imagine anyone stabbing the down-on-his-luck handyman. However, the authorities seem to think Mac is a strong suspect after she was spotted arguing with Jake just hours before his death. Mac knows she didn’t do it, but she does recognize the weapon—her brother Derrick’s fishing knife. Mac’s only experience with murder investigations is limited to the cozy mysteries she reads with her local book group, the Cozy Capers. So to clear her name—and maybe her brother’s too—Mac will have to summon help from her Cozy Capers co-investigators and a library’s worth of detectives’ tips and tricks. For a small town, Westham is teeming with possible killers, and this is one mystery where Mac is hoping for anything but a surprise ending… Dollycas's Thoughts In this first Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, we meet Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida, owner of Mac's Bikes in Westham, Massachusetts. Coming home from a meeting of her Cozy Capers Book Group in the heavy miss she trips over something . . . a body . . . handyman Jake Lacey. She couldn't see any wounds or blood, but when the police arrive she sees the knife stuck in his neck. A knife that looks very familiar. As soon as the Cozy Capers get word about Jake Lacey's murder they decide they can solve it just like the characters in all the books they read. With Mac on the list of suspects along with her brother who is not answering texts or calls she and the Cozy Caper start their investigation. She just hopes they solve it quickly and there is a lot less drama than in the books they read. I have wanted to start this series for a long time and am so happy to have finally done so. Mac runs a bike shop and lives in a tiny house with her African Gray parrot, Belle. Her half-brother, Derrick lives in a lighthouse and works for her. He has a 4-year-old daughter named Cokey. Their dad is a minister and very easygoing. His wife is not the typical pastor's wife, she has her own business as an astrologer. They both help out with Cokey whenever necessary. Gin Malloy is Mac's bestie. She owns Salty Taffy's candy store. They meet up every morning to take a walk and usually listen to the latest book choice for their cozy mystery group, but now all they talk about is the murder. Mac's boyfriend Tim, a retired professor, now owns Greta Grains bakery. Victoria Laitinen is the newly promoted Chief of Police. She and Mac were high school classmates but were not friends. We also meet the rest of the Cozy Capers Book Group, other residents of Westham, and visitors to the town throughout the story. Ms. Day did an excellent job introducing all the characters and they are all unique. Many quickly worked their way into my heart. The mystery of Jake's death was complex. A lot of people either pass by or come into Mac's Bikes and she was suspicious of many of them. I really enjoyed the way the Cozy Capers pulled their investigative tips, ideas, and techniques from the many cozy mysteries they have read. The author through in plenty of twists and turns and sets up a great showdown. I loved it and was quietly cheering as it ended. Entangled with, through, and around the main mystery were some emotional, interesting, and entertaining subplots. Some were wrapped up but others will continue into at least the next book and maybe beyond. The setting of Westham, Massachusetts, a seaside town where tourists flock is a wonderful setting for a cozy mystery series. The author's descriptive writing style certainly brought the community to life. Murder on Cape Cod is a marvelous debut for this series. With a terrific theme, genuine characters, a delightful setting, and a fabulous mystery it was A Perfect Escape. I can't wait to escape into Book 2, Murder at the Taffy Shop!

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her beau and an energetic kitten north of Boston As Edith Maxwell, she writes the CeCe Barton Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink), and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s identities at www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every weekday with the other Wicked Cozy Authors at wickedcozyauthors.com. Look for her as Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter.

Book 6 - Murder at the Rusty Anchor will be released June 25, 2024 Also written by Maddie Day

Murder Uncorked is available today!

Murder Uncorked (A Cece Barton Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - California Kensington Cozies (October 24, 2023) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496742303 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496742308 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BT8MRB58

Raise a glass to Cece Barton, a widowed single mom and recent L.A. transplant to California wine country, who suddenly finds herself at the center of a murder investigation in this sparkling new mystery series from Agatha Award–winning and national bestselling author Maddie Day. As the manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar in Colinas, Cecelia “Cece” Barton’s first Alexander Valley harvest is a whirlwind of activity. Her twin sister, Allie Halstead, who owns a nearby Victorian bed & breakfast, is accustomed to the hustle and bustle of peak tourist season. But Cece barely has a moment to enjoy her new home in between worrying about her estranged college-age daughter, juggling her responsibilities at the bar, and navigating the sticky politics of the local wine association. Just when it seems things can’t grow any more intense, Colinas is rocked by a murder within the wine community . . . and Cece is identified as a possible suspect! With her reputation and her livelihood on the line—and the Sonoma County deputy sheriff breathing down her neck—Cece has no choice but to open up her own murder investigation. Tensions are already high in the valley, as a massive wildfire creeps toward Colinas, threatening homes, vineyards, and the vital tourist trade. And now, with a murderer on the loose, and Cece’s sleuthing exposing the valley’s bitterest old rivalries and secret new alliances, Colinas feels ready to pop! But with Allie’s help, Cece is determined to catch the killer and clear her name before everything she’s worked so hard for goes up in flames . . . Dollycas's Thoughts Cece Barton was originally introduced in a novella as part of Christmas Mitten Murder. Cece Barton is a widowed single mom. With her daughter away at college and their relationship struggling Cece has moved north to Colinas where her twin sister Allie Halstead owns a Bed and Breakfast. She is now the manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar and is learning the politics regarding the local wine association. She is also experiencing her first Alexander Valley harvest and all it entails. The tourists are now flocking to the area too and a wildfire is getting closer and closer to Colinas. When Vincent Sardo who works for the VVA, a regional group of vineyard owners, is murdered Cece finds herself at the top of the list of suspects because of a few terse emails and phone calls. New to the area Cece is going to need her sister's help to clear her name and catch the killer before she is forced to take up residence behind bars where they don't serve any wine. We enter Cece Barton's life at an interesting time. She is trying to move on after her husband's death while her daughter is still dealing with her own grief and is not ready for her mother to make changes. Their relationship is a struggle. Cece is very close to her sister and is happy to have her nearby. She starts out a little less confident being new in town and being a murder suspect doesn't help but she gets stronger as the story continues. I enjoy the relationship she has with her sister and the relationship that is growing with her elderly neighbor, Richard. The relationship with her daughter is conflicted but is a work in progress. Ms. Day always creates characters that feel very true to life and leaves room for them to grow as the series continues. That again, is the case here in the first book of the Cece Barton Mysteries. I am invested and want to get to know them all better. The victim in this story had made plenty of enemies and was just very unlikable so I had no problem with his death. The author plotted out this mystery so well with some admirable twists. One clue stuck in my head though that helped others fall into place faster for me than they did for Cece. That didn't take away from my excitement of the reveal and the showdown. The only thing that I wish Cece would have done differently would have been to trust the police more and report crucial events and pertinent information. I do love the wine bar theme and the town of Colinas and all its happenings. The author always does an excellent job of setting the scene making it easy to visualize everything. Murder Uncorked has set this series off to a grand start. While the murder mystery is wrapped up Cece's life in Colinas is just getting started. I am excited to see what Ms. Day has planned for her next.

About the Author

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her beau and an energetic kitten north of Boston As Edith Maxwell, she writes the CeCe Barton Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink), and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s identities at www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every weekday with the other Wicked Cozy Authors at wickedcozyauthors.com. Look for her as Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter.

Also written by Maddie Day

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!  I am delighted to share my thoughts about Four Leaf Cleaver today!

Four Leaf Cleaver (A Country Store Mystery) Cozy Mystery 11th in Series Setting - Indiana Kensington Cozies (January 24, 2023) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 149673565X ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496735652 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B17HL15D

The eleventh installment in Maddie Day’s deliciously popular Country Store cozy mysteries . . . It’s Saint Patrick’s Day in South Lick, Indiana, but a holiday cooking competition at Robbie Jordan’s country store and restaurant Pans ’N Pancakes is put on the back burner when a killer strikes. There’s no mistaking Saint Patrick’s Day at Pans ’N Pancakes. Robbie may only be Irish by marriage to Abe O’Neill, but the shelves of vintage cookware in her southern Indiana store are draped with glittery shamrocks and Kelly-green garlands and her restaurant is serving shepherd’s pie and Guinness Beer brownies. The big event, however, is a televised cooking competition to be filmed on-site. Unfortunately, someone’s luck has run out. Before the cameras start rolling, tough-as-nails producer Tara O’Hara Moore is found upstairs in her B&B room, bludgeoned apparently by the heavy hilt of a cleaver left by her side. Now, not only does Robbie have a store full of festive decorations, she’s got a store full of suspects . . . Includes Recipes for You to Try! Dollycas's Thoughts Robbie Jordan is feeling pretty lucky. She has married her favorite Irishman Abe O'Neill and gets along very well with his teenage son, Sean. Her Pans ’N Pancakes Country Store and Restaurant is all decked out for the holidays and serving Irish fare. Plus her place has been chosen to host a St. Patty's Day themed cooking competition. The production staff and the show's host arrive to get things ready to start filming the next day. The sponsor stops by to drop off the ingredient every dish must contain. A contestant even comes in to get the lay of the land. Robbie is excited and hopes the event will go off without a hitch and bring some publicity to her restaurant and store. Sadly, as people start to arrive to tape the show, host Tara O’Hara Moore is missing. She is not answering calls or texts. She had booked a room at the B&B upstairs so Robbie goes to check on her guest. She finds Ms. O'Hara Moore dead and a huge cleaver on the floor. The woman has clearly been hit several times probably by the cleaver. Robbie is thankful the killer didn't use the cleaver as intended but is very upset that she was killed and in one of her rooms no less. It is always fun to drop in for a visit with Robbie and the gang in South Lick, Indiana. Pans ’N Pancakes is the place to be to catch up with town gossip and old friends. All of Ms. Day's characters are well-developed and continue to evolve in each new story. Many of Robbie's friends are expecting and she and Abe are trying to add their own little bundle to the family. Sean is a wonderful stepson, learning to drive and even helping Robbie with a little internet sleuthing. I love the way these relationships are growing. Danna is having some romance issues and Turner is busy helping his family make maple syrup on their farm after he ends his day at the store but both are perfect employees, they support each other and Robbie and come up with some great ideas for specials. Buck and Oscar work together to catch the killer and both are happy when Robbie adds her two cents. Oscar has some fun news of his own. We are introduced to several new characters in the show's production staff, contestants, and sponsor. A couple of other people drop in at Pans ’N Pancakes too.  They are all cleaver-ly created and many are suspects. One has an interesting hobby and a family dilemma. Most are hiding something or full of blarney. One of them just has to be guilty. The mystery the author puts forth was pretty complicated and between Robbie and the professionals they were getting close. Then Robbie found herself in a pickle and I was kicking myself because I had gone in a different and very wrong direction in my personal investigation instead of going with my gut. I do enjoy the way Ms. Day entangles her subplots and the murder mystery and this time that must have gotten me a bit distracted. LOL Being set in a restaurant food is always on the table and tickling my taste buds. I was thrilled to see the recipe for Phil's Stout and Cheese Biscuits. I have copied it down and handed it off to my personal chef, also known as my husband. I hope he is able to whip some up soon. Four Leaf Cleaver was filled with the family and friends moments I love all twisted up with a complex mystery that was truly entertaining. The conclusion of the story put into print what we all knew and made me even more excited than I usually am for the next book in this series and I am always excited when Maddie Day has something in the works. Thank you, Maddie, for another Perfect Escape. Until next time . . .

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent    

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her beau and an energetic kitten north of Boston As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink), as well as writes award-winning short crime fiction. You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s identities at www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every weekday with the other Wicked Cozy Authors at wickedcozyauthors.com. Look for her as Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter.

Also by Maddie Day

Book Review: Death Over Easy

I’ve reviewed Maddie Day before. I still love her Country Store Mystery series. In the latest installment Robbie is up to her ears in murder suspects, some of whom are staying at her freshly opened B&B.

Basic Summary (Courtesy of Amazon):

June’s annual Brown County Bluegrass Festival at the Bill Monroe Music Park in neighboring Beanblossom is always a hit for Robbie’s country store and café, Pans…