Debra H. Goldstein

When Sarah Blair's mother participates in a reality show competition for brides in Wheaton, Alabama, things get a little too real as a murderer crashes the wedding party . . . Sometimes Sarah's mother, Maybelle, can be higher maintenance than her Siamese cat RahRah. Maybelle and her friend, Mr. George Rogers, have been chosen to be one of five couples competing for a small-town "perfect" wedding and dream honeymoon on a Southern Belles reality show--and guess who has to be chaperone. Even more vexing, the producers have decided to put up the crew and participants at the restaurant/bed and breakfast owned by Sarah's nemesis Jane Clark. But when someone turns up dead with Jane kneeling by the body with blood on her hands, she goes from being Sarah's chief rival to the police's chief suspect. Neither Sarah nor her twin, Chef Emily Johnson, can stand Jane--still, they don't think she's a murderer. The producers vow the show must go on, but to protect their mother and the other contestants, Sarah vows to find the true killer before someone else gets eliminated . . .

Five Belles Too Many

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone . . . Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end . . . When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block? Includes quick and easy recipes! “This smart cozy—full of heart and humor and surprises—has everything a mystery lover could ask for.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of Trust Me

Two Bites Too Many

For culinary challenged Sarah Blair, there’s only one thing scarier than cooking from scratch—murder! Married at eighteen, divorced at twenty-eight, Sarah Blair reluctantly swaps her luxury lifestyle for a cramped studio apartment and a law firm receptionist job in the tired hometown she never left. With nothing much to show for the last decade but her feisty Siamese cat, RahRah, and some clumsy domestic skills, she’s the polar opposite of her bubbly twin, Emily—an ambitious chef determined to take her culinary ambitions to the top at a local gourmet restaurant . . . Sarah knew starting over would be messy. But things fall apart completely when her ex drops dead, seemingly poisoned by Emily’s award-winning rhubarb crisp. Now, with RahRah wanted by the woman who broke up her marriage and Emily wanted by the police for murder, Sarah needs to figure out the right recipe to crack the case before time runs out. Unfortunately, for a gal whose idea of good china is floral paper plates, catching the real killer and living to tell about it could mean facing a fate worse than death—being in the kitchen! Includes quick and easy recipes!

One Taste Too Many

Jim Fusilli

Sandra Murphy

Lesley A. Diehl

Nikki Knight

Barry Ergang

Heidi Hunter

Shari Held

Daniel Sohn

Linda Kay Hardie

Lisa Lynn

A bad meal is a misdemeanor but going to bed hungry is the biggest crime of all. Ten short story authors have joined forces to write humorous crime stories containing some of their favorite Thanksgiving dishes. From murder to theft to bank heists, these authors have whipped up stories to tickle your funny bone, feed your urge for a good crime and make you a bit hungry in the process. Not to be outdone, Lisa Lynn provides the perfect accompaniment with recipes that people can make for the holidays using the basic staples found in nearly every home or from your local food bank. Thanks to the publisher’s “Misti Gives Back” program, 100% of the net proceeds of the sales of this title will be split evenly among each of the contributors’ local Second Harvest Food Bank (a member of Feeding America) to help raise money to feed those most in need and at risk. If a contributor does not have a Second Harvest in their area, their share will go directly to Feeding America. Your purchase(s) ensure that more people will have access to food this holiday season and beyond.

A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

The Perp Wore Pumpkin

Jonathan Brown

John M. Floyd

Gar Anthony Haywood

S.A. Cosby

Stacy Woodson

Penny Mickelbury

Trey R. Barker

William Dylan Powell

Kimberly B. Richardson

Whether their cover bands play Willie Dixon or Willie Nelson, juke joints and honky-tonks appeal to hard-working men and women looking for a good time. Offering hot music, cheap food, and generous amounts of liquor, jukes and tonks are often a community’s unofficial gathering spot, where Saturday nights are spent committing the sins church leaders rail against the following morning. The stories in Jukes & Tonks introduce you to many sinners and few saints, love begun and love gone wrong, and all manner of unsavory criminal endeavors. What the stories have in common is that they plop you down in worlds where the music pulsating from the compact stage—if there’s a stage at all—provides the backbeat for tales that are unsparing, heartbreaking, twisty, and a few are as dark as the night, and the blinking sign offering live music is an invitation to the unexpected. Contributors include Trey R. Barker, Michael Bracken, Jonathan Brown, S.A. Cosby, John M. Floyd, Debra H. Goldstein, Gar Anthony Haywood, Penny Mickelbury, Gary Phillips, William Dylan Powell, Kimberly B. Richardson, and Stacy Woodson. Praise for JUKES & TONKS: “The world needs more jukes, more tonks, and more fine crime fiction—and this fast-paced playlist from Michael Bracken and Gary Phillips offers all of the above and then some. It’s a #1 hit…with a bullet!” —Josh Pachter, editor of The Great Filling Station Holdup: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffett “While twists abound and nothing is predictable, one thing is certain: Jukes & Tonks transports the reader to a world where the drinks are cheap, the dancing is close, and the music reigns supreme.” —Holly West, Anthony Award-nominated editor of Murder-a-Go-Go’s: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of The Go-Go’s

Crime Fiction Inspired by Music in the Dark and Suspect Choices

Jukes & Tonks

Michael Bracken

Elizabeth Zelvin

John Hegenberger

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for -- with new tales by the best writers of today! The second issue features contributions by Michael Bracken, John Hegenberger, John M. Floyd, BK Stevens, and Debra H. Goldstein, plus a classic reprint by Melba Marlett. Complete contents: THE CLEANSING SOIL, by Charlie Hughes SKIRTS, by Michael Bracken A DISTURBANCE IN THE HAREM, by Elizabeth Zelvin A WEIGHTY MATTER, by Debra H. Goldstein BURIED SECRETS, by Steve Shrott JACOB’S LADDER, by Cynthia Benjamin THINGS PAST, by BK Stevens THIN BLOOD, by Trey R. Barker TWO IN THE BUSH, by John M. Floyd THE BAD SLEEP, by John Hegenberger THE SECOND MRS. PORTER, by Melba Marlett

Black Cat Mystery Magazine #2

When a romantic rival opens a competing restaurant in small-town Wheaton, Alabama, Sarah Blair discovers murder is the specialty of the house . . . For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant. Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently. But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, an attention-stealing new establishment—run by none other than Sarah's late ex-husband's mistress, Jane—is having its grand opening across the street. Jane's new sous chef, Riley Miller, is the talk of Wheaton with her delicious vegan specialties. When Riley is found dead outside the restaurant with Sarah's friend, Jacob, kneeling over her, the former line cook—whose infatuation with Riley was no secret—becomes the prime suspect. Now Sarah must turn up the heat on the real culprit, who has no reservations about committing cold-blooded murder . . . Includes quick and easy recipes!

Three Treats Too Many

Debra H. Goldstein

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