Crafts and Life

Suzette Cripps has been occupying a spare bedroom at Val's granddad's house while she takes classes in this Maryland Eastern Shore town–but she's always seemed a little secretive and fearful, and any talk about her past is a closed book.

After winning the costume contest at the Halloween-themed bookstore party, Suzette is mowed down by a hit-and-run driver–and Val and her grandfather start to wonder whether it was really an accident or if someone was after Suzette. Granddad is a little distracted by his new enterprise as a ghost-buster, but as Val talks to Suzette's coworkers and fellow creative writing students, she grows more convinced that the dead woman's demons weren't imaginary–and that she needs to rip the mask off a killer …

The 5-ingredient series keeps getting better and the characters are improving and adding to the reading enjoyment!

There have been two changes in town, Val and her grandfather have a lodger in the form of a local student (Suzette Cripps) and a new book store has opened, the owner of the store has asked Val to cater her Halloween opening bash and has decided to do a costume competition with the prize being a fairly substantial gift certificate for the store. So far so good! Suzette is lucky enough to win the competition (meaning buying college books will be easier) but the next day she is the victim of a hit and run.  Now Val and the Codger Cook need to find out if Suzette was just unlucky, or if the hit and run was more sinister, oh and the Codger Cook has expanded his repertoire into ghost busting!

What are the links between Suzette, the local hotel, the book store and a book writing circle? Read the book and find out!

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name?

My name is Valentine Deniston, but thankfully everyone calls me Val. Take a guess when my birthday is. Yup, it’s February 14th, Valentine’s Day. 

What is your Profession?

I’m one of the lucky people who combine my vocation with my avocation. I love to cook, and my jobs pay me for doing what I love. I run a café at the Bayport Racket and Fitness Club. I also cater small parties, usually in people’s houses, and sometimes with the help of my grandfather (AKA the Codger Cook) and my friend, Bethany. My life gets complicated when dead bodies turn up before, during, or after one of my catering gigs.   

What is your current favourite book or movie?

I’m looking forward to the Downton Abbey movie. Of course, I want to see how all the characters are doing a few years after the TV series ended, but I’m also hungering to seeing the food served at the grand table. Maybe someday I’ll cater a Downton Abbey re-creation dinner, but I’ll need a lot of help in the kitchen and the dining room.

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

My grandfather is a fan of classic movies. He used to own a video store, so we have quite a collection of them.  He never tires of watching Hitchcock films. My all-time favorite is Casablanca. I love it every time I watch it, especially the emotional scene in which the characters sing the Marseillaise.  

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

I’d like to be Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Like me, she sometimes misjudges people at first, but she’s willing to admit when she’s wrong. She gives herself and other people a second chance. There’s one big difference between Elizabeth and me: she finds Mr. Right, someone I’m still searching for. 

What is your ideal evening?

Granddad and I would make a delicious dinner for our favorite people. They include my BFF Bethany O’Shay; Bayport’s police chief and granddad’s old friend, Earl Yardley;  the new bookshop owner and Granddad’s lady friend, Dorothy Muir; and her son, Bram Muir. After a satisfying meal, we’d sit around the table and try to figure out who committed the latest murder in Bayport.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 26 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

August 26 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

August 26 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

August 27 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 27 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 28 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 28 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

August 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT

August 29 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 30 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 30 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST  

August 31 – Reading Is My SuperPower – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT

September 1 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

September 1 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

September 1 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 2 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT

September 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

September 3 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

September 3 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

September 3 – That’s What She’s Reading – GUEST POST

September 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

September 4 – ebook addicts – REVIEW

September 4 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW