Chazz reviews ALL SPOOKED UP!

 Meow! Chazz here with my review of our good friend EJ Copperman's first in his new series,ALL SPOOKED  UP!

The synopsis:

Paint store owner Laura Meehan makes the discovery of a lifetime in her shop when she stumbles upon a body and . . . her dead father’s ghost! This brand-new Haunted Paint Store Mystery has Copperman’s signature wit, humor, and zaniness aplenty!

Dealing with her father’s recent death, Laura Meehan decides to move back to her New Jersey hometown and take over the paint and wallpaper store he opened after quitting his straining job in the police. Knowing that she is uprooting her own and her supportive husband Roy’s lives, she’s determined to continue her father’s legacy and keep the business alive.

But that doesn’t seem to be the only thing alive when Laura discovers that her store is haunted by none other than her deceased father! Either that or Laura has finally lost her mind and developed Ghost Traumatic Stress Syndrome . . .

When she discovers the body of the town’s deadbeat painter Ernie on top of all that, Laura is determined to find the culprit who’s rudely used her store as their murder scene, with the help of her ex-police detective father’s ghost—real or not, Laura might as well make use of his expertise!

It turns out Ernie owed a lot of money to a lot of people. Could one of them have reached breaking point and killed the freeloader?

Chazz Review:  well, our good friend EJ has done it again with his new series!  This is what he does best, these delightfully quirky mysteries with plenty of humor and thrills mixed in.  A definite must read if you are a dedicated EJ fan (and even if you are not you will quickly become one).  I  myself cannot wait for entry #2 in this fabulous new series!!!  Five paws!  

September/October cozy reviews!

 A PERILOUS PLOT by Lorna Barrett

Berkley Trade Paperback; on sale September 23, 2025

 

Family reunions are killer—literally—in the newest mystery in Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.

Everything was going great for Tricia Miles, right up until her estranged mother, Sheila, arrives on her front step with an urn she says contains the remains of Tricia's father.

Shocked and saddened, Tricia and her sister, Angelica, attempt to get to the bottom of what happened. But their efforts for clarity are dashed when Shelia disappears the very next day, leaving without a word.

Naturally, the sisters are upset—especially after they take the remains to the local funeral parlor and discover that not only is the urn filled with kitty litter, but hidden inside is a valuable (and stolen) Rolex watch. Digging deeper, the sisters find their parents are in dire financial trouble and seem to be lurking around Booktown.

Tricia and Angelica can’t help but wonder how many more secrets their mother was keeping...and whether that includes murder.

I have always enjoyed this series, even though at times i felt it got a little dark.  Once I met TRicia's mother I understood why.  Tricia and her sister work to solve a puzzling mystery concerning the death of their father and end up uncovering secrets.  Watching the sisters unravel the clues is always a joy for me.  Five stars.

 

Our July Cozy Reviews!

MURDER, SHE WROTE: A BODY IN BOSTON by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

Berkley Trade Paperback Original; on sale July 1, 2025

 

Jessica Fletcher has dinner with her old pal Harry McGraw and gets pulled into a puzzling murder case.

Invited to deliver a lecture at the Boston Public Library, Jessica Fletcher excitedly makes plans to see local friends. Naturally that includes dinner at Gilhooley’s with PI Harry McGraw. Harry excitedly talks about his latest client, the CEO of Cure All Pharmaceuticals, who’s received anonymous blackmail demands and wants Harry to identify the culprit. Cookie, Gilhooley’s longtime bartender, also has something he wants to tell Jessica: he asked Harry to investigate his daughter Aileen’s boyfriend, who Cookie thinks is too slick by half, but now Harry is too wrapped up in this new case. While Jessica wonders how best to approach Aileen, the young woman stumbles into Gilhooley’s covered in blood. She just discovered her boyfriend’s corpse -- and quickly becomes the chief suspect in his murder!

Who doesnt love a Jessica Fletcher mystery and we are no exception!  Jessie is in fine form as usual and it was a pleasure to see her work with her favorite sidekick, Harry McGraw.  I dont think anyone will ever tire of Jessie's adventures.  Five stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOMETHING WHISKERED by Miranda James

Berkley Hardcover Original; on sale July 29, 202

 

A dead baron, an Irish castle, and an unexpected ghost . . . Charlie Harris, Helen Louise Brady, and their feline friend Diesel find themselves hot on the trail of a conniving killer in this delightful Cat in the Stacks Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Miranda James.

Charlie Harris and his wife, Helen Louise Brady, have arrived in Ireland for their honeymoon. After a few days in Dublin, they head to County Clare, ancestral home to Helen Louise’s extended family, the O’Bradys. Her cousin Lorcan runs Castle O’Brady as a bed-and-breakfast with his wife Caoimhe and their daughter and son-in-law. But upon arrival at the castle, the newlyweds are shocked to see a body falling from the roof.

The dead man is centenarian Finn, Baron O'Brady, Lorcan’s grandfather, which means that Lorcan now becomes the new Baron O'Brady. Was someone in a hurry for Lorcan to assume the title and ownership of the estate? Or is there another reason for wanting Finn dead? And why is a ghostly cat making an appearance in their room-is he trying to warn them? Charlie and Helen Louise must answer these questions and more as they realize the local garda can't solve the crime alone. And along with Diesel they will have to investigate themselves or risk something wicked coming their way…

Charlie and his pet cat Diesel are two of our favorite characters. James always manages to keep the mysteries sharp and fresh and we loved the change of locale and, of course, Charlie as a newlywed. I admit to being partial to stories that have a hint of the supernatural.  Diesel of course manages to get into the act, even from a distance.  Five stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Hot Seat - Author Mary Kennedy!

 

Ma-ROW! ROCCO here. Today Chazz and I are interviewing author Mary Kennedy!

 

Mary Kennedy is a practicing psychologist and the author of the Talk Radio Mysteries and the Dream Club Mysteries from Penguin Random House. She's written nearly 50 novels, including both mysteries and young adult fiction and has sold over four million books worldwide. Mary lives with several neurotic cats in the northeast. She has tried unsuccessfully to psychoanalyze them but she remains optimistic!

 

R:  Hello Mary. Tell us a little about your background, Meow!

I’m a licensed psychologist and have written  47 novels. And yes, I think I might be a workaholic.

C:  Tell us a bit about your latest book.

 Death of a Shady Shrink is book five in the Talk Radio Mysteries. Dr. Maggie (the host of the radio show On the Couch with Dr. Maggie) goes to a psychology conference in Palm Beach and unmasks a killer. Her sidekicks, Vera Mae and Lola tag along and hunky detective Rafe shows up, too.

R: How do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your pants”?

I write a detailed synopsis, I like having a road map for the book. That way I’m never facing a blank page.

R: Interesting. Our human does an outline, but it usually gets thrown out by chapter Two.

C: What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you and keeps you motivated?

The Visa bill on the fridge keeps me motivated!

R: What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?

I’m working on book 4 of the Dream Club Mysteries.

C: What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing?

I think of word count more than pages and strive for 500 words a day.

R: What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?

Don’t quit your day job! (and no, this is not a joke). And don’t get taken in by vanity presses. Remember the money flows from the publishing house to you, not the other way around.

C: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

 I auditioned for a bit part in a Burt Reynolds movie even though I had a temperature of 103. And yes, I got the part!

C: Wowza! Now we have to find out what movie!!!!!!

R: Where can we learn more about you and your books?

My website is www.marykennedy.net  and I’m on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/mary.kennedy.948.

ROCCO’S FAST FIVE

· What is your favorite movie quote?      “Tomorrow’s another day.”

· What food do you wish was calorie free?     Pizza!

· What book was your favorite growing up?     Anne of Green Gables.

· What authors have had the most influence on you?    Janet Evanovich, Lorraine Bartlett, Agatha  Christie, Carolyn Hart.

· If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do?    Open an animal shelter and offer free neutering for pets. (Rocco shudders at the word ‘neuter’)

 

Thank you Mary for a great interview!  And now – giveaway time!

Mary will giveaway a $15 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter!  Just leave your name and email address in our comments section. (Very important – leave that email addy. You can’t be entered without it!)  Chazz will select the winner at random. Contest closes midnight, April 29

 

Rocco and Chazz review Mrs Oddbody and the Conniving Candidate

A redo of a review from November! 

Today we are turning the spotlight on the fifth Ms. Odboddy book, Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving

Candidate!

the Story:

As the war continues to rage in Europe, Election Day approaches in Newbury. Among other inequities,

 the Newbury City Council makes it difficult for local women to obtain business licenses even for home-bases 

businesses. Mrs. Odboddy decides to run for the vacant city council seat, but she has no idea what political 

obstacles she will face. The trouble starts, first with disasters in her home, to violence and racism against 

her friends, and then theft charges are filed against her!

To make matters worse, her granddaughter’s old boyfriend has returned to town declaring his unwanted, 

undying love. His heroic responses to multiple adverse events affecting the family make it difficult for 

Katherine to send him packing.

Agnes suspects her political opponent is behind all the trouble, including the state’s attempts to remove 

their beloved ward, Mattie. It seems that Agnes is up against a conniving opponent who will stop at nothing

to prevent her winning the election. How can she prevail against such sinister deeds? Is winning an 

election worth it when her family is at risk?

Join Agnes as she faces overwhelming odds in her efforts to bring much needed change to Newbury.

ROCCO:  Both Chazz and I thought that this was a very timely story, considering all that is going on in the world today!  Mrs. Odboddy fans will not be disappointed and new fans will love to follow along with Agnes! (and of course, there are cats Shere Kahn and Ling Ling!)

CHAZZ:  Politics is truly a dirty business and Mrs. Odboddy finds that out first hand!  Fans will cheer right along with Agnes as she attempts to get to the bottom of things and clear her name!  Agnes is a very strong character you can't help but admire and cheer for.  the only thing that would have made this book better were more of the cats, Ling-Ling and Shere Kahn.  LOL.

ROCCO:  We both agree - this book answers the question is winning an election worth it!  I thought the ending very timely and fitting indeed.   Available at Amazon and other fine retailers now in paperback and e-book format.

Sales Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Odboddy-Conniving-Candidate-shenanigans/dp/B0DJNVGB2Q/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23EJIWV2GDMZI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Hn6nOmMlx2R5wzLqfE7ZOZ57ITg8Q16VfZCj3zeN4MWuDy9j48RiaLOBhJYjmTV6TtBLVCCysRg0RMaG70Y18A.mDXIlBlr6FoMud0nWOIbW2tzTgekPsnmpaalVVye7Tw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Mrs.+Odboddy&qid=1730132749&s=books&sprefix=mrs.+odboddy%2Cstripbooks%2C296&sr=1-1

ROCCO and Chazz interview Rosie Genova!

 Today we are interviewing a friend and fellow author Rosie Genova!

Proud Jersey girl Rosie Genova is a multi-genre author. Her work includes a Jersey shore cozy series, The Italian Kitchen Mysteries, and The Tess Mancini Time Travel Mysteries, set in 1955 Atlantic City. She is also the author of standalone suspense and a couple of rom-coms that presently live in her computer files (but are longing to be released into the wild). A former teacher and journalist, Rosie’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of publications, including Entrepreneur magazine and The New York Times. The mother of three sons, Rosie still lives in her favorite state with her husband, too many dusty antiques, and a charming mutt named Lucy.

 

Welcome to the blog, Rosie!  Tell us a little about your background

As my bio states, I’m a proud Jersey girl. I grew up in a small town with a tiny library that became my favorite place to hang out. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was eight. When my kids were young, I did some magazine writing and I taught journalism for years. But writing fiction has always been my dream, which came to fruition twelve years ago, when my first novel was published.

Tell us a bit about your latest book

Murder on the Steel Pier is a time travel mystery featuring Tess Mancini, an investigative reporter who celebrates her thirty-fifth birthday with her bestie in Atlantic City. Many tequila shots later, she wakes up in a boarding house in 1955, where she finds herself living the life of her own great-aunt, also a reporter. While there, a guest in the boarding house (who happens to be a Nazi on the run) is murdered, and Tess’s teenaged grandfather is accused of the crime—leaving Tess stuck in the Nifty Fifties until she can clear his name and make sure she has a future.

 

How do you “get to know” your characters before and while you’re writing the books?

It starts with a specific voice in my head, especially if I’m using first-person narration. Writing Tess in Murder on the Steel Pier was a bit of a departure for me; she’s a Millennial, she’s a badass, and she’s pretty snarky.

Do you have an “How I got my agent” story you want to share?

Contrary to popular opinion, the “agent phone call” is not necessarily an offer of representation. (I’d had three such conversations in my past that did not turn into offers.) So when my current agent emailed me asking for a phone call, I kept my expectations low. I figured she’d be asking me to rewrite and then resubmit the book. On the call, I was amazingly calm and confident. When she asked if she could give me feedback, I thought, oh, here it comes. I walked downstairs to where my husband and sons were waiting and gave them a thumbs down. The agent and I talked about revisions, and I told her I would resubmit promptly. There was this silence, and then she told me she assumed we’d go through the process together. It was an offer, after all. Then I dropped all my notes and started babbling like an idiot! So much for my professional cool…

If you could take only three books with you for a year-long writing retreat in a gorgeous setting with no library, which three would you take?

Hmm. Guess I’m not allowed my Kindle, huh? I would take Persuasion by Jane Austen, Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart, and Agatha Christie’s collected stories. A nice mix of the literary, the romantic, and the mysterious.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

(See answer to biggest splurge in Fast Five.)

What’s one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?

I write across genres. I started out writing rom-coms, which are as yet unpublished. Then I wrote a cozy series, The Italian Kitchen Mysteries. I’ve also written two standalone suspense novels, both much darker than my usual humorous take. And Murder on the Steel Pier is a mix of historical, paranormal, cozy, and noir elements. Something for everyone!

What question do you wish interviewers would ask? (And what’s the answer?)

Question: What is your superpower? Answer: My homemade meatballs.

ROCCO:  And now Rosie answers my ‘Fast Five”

What song do you like to sing along to?

“You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio,” by Joni Mitchell. You can not shut me up if I hear that song.

What smell takes you back to your childhood?

Lilacs. There was a beautiful lilac bush at my grandmother’s house, and it’s a strong association for me.

What’s the last thing you splurged on?

Blowing through every last one of my credit card points to fly business class to Italy this summer!

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

I’ve been blessed to follow both my vocations; I was an English teacher for 25 years before leaving to write full time.

What celebrity are you dying to meet (or have met)?

I once stood next to the aforementioned Joni Mitchell in the ladies room of a West Village restaurant. But I was stuck dumb in the presence of my musical goddess!

Where can our readers learn more about you?

Book Bub  www.bookbub.com/profile/rosie-genova

Website  www.rosiegenova.com

Goodreads   www.goodreads.com/author/show/6462450.Rosie_Genova

Facebook www.facebook.com/RosieGenova

Thank you for a wonderful interview, Rosie!  Now it's GIVEAWAY TIME.

Rosie will give away two e-pub editions of MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER to two lucky commenters!  To enter leave your name and email address! It's that easy. Chazz will pick the winners at random.  Contest closes midnight April 16th!

SPOTLIGHT ON BERKLEY MARCH APRIL COZIES!

 MEOW!

Today we spotlight the latest cozies for March and April from Berkley! We've already reviewed HIgh Tea and Misdemeanors by Laura Childs, here are three more entries in favorite series1

SNOWY WITH A CHANCE OF MURDER

JESSICA FLETCHER AND BARBARA EARLY

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME

MARCH 18 2O25

FOUR AND A HALF STARS

In a nod to Rear Window, this newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series finds Jessica Fletcher coping with an injury that leaves her homebound—and a murder just outside her window!

Jessica Fletcher has taken a nasty spill on the ice, leaving her in a wheelchair for several weeks. She tries to work on her latest manuscript but finds herself distracted by a new neighbor moving in across the street. There’s good reason for her to be distracted, because soon after unpacking his sparse belongings, Mr. Rymer is out in the front yard, building somewhat risqué (read: naked) snow sculptures.

While Cabot Cove debates whether the sculptures are a protected form of art or a public display of lewdness, someone starts destroying them at night. Rymer doesn’t seem upset. He just makes new ones. No need to get the police involved over a little snow, he says. Especially when there’s plenty more of it and a blizzard in the forecast.

The morning after the storm, Jessica looks out the window to see a new sculpture across the street—and the body of Mr. Rymer half-buried in the snow. Can Jessica catch a cold-blooded killer from her chair by the window?

Another good entry in this long running series.  So many  years after the cancellation of the tv show, we never tire of reading about Jessica's adventures!

CAT GOT YOUR KILLER

SOFIE RYAN

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME

MARCH 25

FIVE STARS

Sarah Grayson, secondhand store owner, and her clever rescue cat Elvis are right on the tail of a criminal in the charming new Second Chance Cat Mystery.

Summer is around the corner and Sarah is making sure the store is stocked and ready for tourist season.

 But while the weather’s heating up, Sarah gets involved in a case that is decidedly cold, when a man

 who was linked to a drowning death years ago is found dead himself, on the same stretch of beach. 

Some of Sarah’s friends from the store knew the victim—and the young woman who drowned—very well and are concerned they could be dragged into the case.

 
It’s beginning to look like an innocent man may be in prison and that drowning death might in fact 

be the work of a killer who has struck again. Between Charlotte’s Angels, the group of senior citizen private detectives who operate out of the store, and Elvis’s abilities to sniff out trouble, Sarah won’t let a 

second chance at catching this purr-petrator pass her by.

We absolutely love this series!  Sarah and Elvis leave no stone unturned in solving the murder and getting to the bottom of things - and she couldn't do it without Elvis and Charlotte's Angels! All characters we love

NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY

COFFEESHOP MYSTERY

CLEO COYLE

APRIL 1

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME HC

FIVE STARS

When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest. ~ Includes a knockout menu of recipes.

Firstoff we loved the idea of this book - we wish there was a Writer's Block Lounge around here (minus

the murders, of course).  Clare is in rare form with this one, and this favorite series seems to never run out of steam or fresh ideas - could it be the caffeine?  A winner!  and so are the recipes!!

SPOTLIGHT ON LAURA CHILDS HIGH TEA AND MISDEMEANORS!

 

When a wedding is tragically averted by the death of the bridesmaid, Theodosia is 

determined to prove that it was murder in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are tapped to cater the elegantwedding of Bettina and Jamie. Theodosia and Drayton are setting up when they hear a crash from the greenhouse. Shockingly, they discover that part of the roof has collapsed trapping a bridesmaid and the groom. He will pull through but the bridesmaid is no more. Theodosia is convinced it was murder.

Our review:

Another superb entry in this long running series!  Theo plunges forward as usual with her trusty sidekick Drayton, asking questions and eventually stumbling onto the perp!   Once again they have to weave their way through a complex net of clues and red herrings before the book finally reaches its conclusion!  the beginning of the book is awesosme. You almost feel like you are right there with the killer!  The ending is chock full of drama - suffice it to say Theo and Drayton have a VERY close call!  Maybe the closest yet!  The groom was a bit too much on the whiny side for my taste, but Theo comes through anyway---and gets a surprising assist from someone you wouldn't expect at the end!  (spoiler alert - it's NOT Delaine!).  Fans of this series will defintely not be disappointed, and new fans can easily catch up.

A definite five paws!!!!!!

Laura will give away a copy of HIGH TEA to one lucky commenter!  Just leave your name and email address in our comments section!  Winner will be chosen at random by Chazz.  US entries only please.  Contest closes March 13.

HIGH TEA AND MISDEMEANORS

LAURA CHILDS

A TEA SHOP MYSTERY

BERKLEY PRIIME CRIIME

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 4 2025  

ROCCO interviews Princess Fuzzypants and Purrday from A SIDE DISH OF DEATH!

 This is Rocco and I am here this morning interviewing two of my dear friends, Princess Fuzzypants and Purrday.  They have an exciting new book coming out- A Side Dish of Death.  It comes out on February 25th so if you have not ordered your copy yet, what are you waiting for.

Good morning you two.

This is the third book in which you two star together.  How does it feel to be such a dynamic duo?

PFP:  Rocco, thank mew for the invitation today.  I am delighted that our pairing has worked so well.  But then, how else would it be.  Look at this face- *points to Purrday*. How could I fail to fall in love with him.

Purrday: And look at her face  "points to the Princess"  so beautiful.  How could I not reciprocate?  I am flattered a beauty like her would fall for an old salt like myself.




Rocco:  Can you tell us a bit about the plot of the new book?

Purrday:  Shell and her mother are having a murder mystery fundraiser, and things start to go south when the chef,  a very unpleasant person, turns up dead duirng the festivities.  Since everyone is trapped at the venue due to a hurricane, Shell and company must track down the killer before he/she strikes again! Complicating things is Shell's ex-fiancee, who has shown up with an agenda of his own that included the deceased chef.




PFP:   Of course the humans, Shell and Gary, are hopeless without our expurrt feline help.  We save the day- again.  But then, isn’t that what everyone wants to see.

Rocco:  Princess Fuzzypants, I am so glad you could join us from the Bridge.  I know Toni mentioned your passing in September but you have been anything but absent since then.

PFP:  *Laughs*. Who knew how busy my “life” would be at the Bridge.  And back on earth.  Naturally I must keep an eye on my humans, especially Momma.  She would be lost without meow.  I morph frequently and meow at them.  I miss my snuggles and cuddles but things are satisfying.  Knowing that I have achieved immortality both through the continuation of my page and my presence in the books, means a lot to meow.

Purrday: Princess, you are alive in everyone's hearts and always will be.

Rocco:  To what do you attribute your great chemistry.

PFP:  Purrday finds and rescues meow in the first book.  There is an instant attraction and when Shell see meow, she too is smitten.  Then we have a big mystery to solve and with our superior intellect and heightened senses, we are able to suss out things that mere humans could not.  What do mew think Purrday?

Purrday: I agree, we felines are far more intuitive than humans.  If you doubt that, then just ask Nick (from the Nick and Nora mysteries)  He will agree one thousand percent.


Rocco:  I hear there are more adventures on the horizon for the two of you.  Can you give us any hints.

Purrday: Well, not to say too much or the human will be mad but...our next adventure takes place at a pet show with our Princess front and center in the action!



PFP:  I don’t want to give away too much.  After all, we want mew to read all of our books.  *Giggles*

Rocco:  Thank you for being here today.  Are there any last words you want to share.

PFP:  I know my page fans have probably pre-ordered but I want to make sure they all read the books.  A Side Dish of Death is a lot of fun as are the previous two adventures.  Purrday and I are counting on mew.

Purrday: We appreciate your support.  It is what makes the Pet Shop Mysteries keep on coming!  

A SIDE DISH OF DEATH

An Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery

Volume 5

TC Lotempio

Beyond the Page Publishing

Feb 25 2025

Chazz and Rocco interview Diane A.S. Stuckart!

 Me-Ow!  Hello, Folks!  Today we are interviewing NYT Bestselling Author Diane A.S. Stuckart!

Diane has a new short story anthology out, WHO'S BEHIND THE DOOR!  

Who’s behind the door? That and other unsettling questions fuel this compilation of previously 

published short stories from NYT bestselling author Diane A.S. Stuckart (the Leonardo da Vinci 

mystery series and the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series written as Ali Brandon). Her tales of

 mystery and fantasy have been gathered for the first time into one volume, with each story 

prefaced by a brand new introduction written by the author just for this collection. The stories 

run the gamut in genre from paranormal to western to mystery  to fantasy, with settings both

 historical and contemporary. They feature characters as diverse as house flippers and kid wizards

, gunslingers and talking rats. But all have in common a problem to be solved, and a protagonist 

who must find the means, or the gumption, to uncover the solution. Stuckart has received starred 

reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for her novels. Publishers Weekly has

 called Stuckart’s short fiction "clever", while Booklist says it "definitely has bite"

Diane A.S. Stuckart aka Anna Gerard is the author of the Georgia B&B Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books. Writing as Ali Brandon, she is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series, also from Berkley. But she began her publishing career writing critically-acclaimed historical romance for Pinnacle Books and Zebra Books under the names “Alexa Smart” and “Anna Gerard”. With the advent of eBooks, Diane is thrilled to be able to bring back these timeless stories of love and adventure to a brand new readership. She is also the author of several short stories compiled into two ebooks: WEDDING BELLES and WHO'S BEHIND THE DOOR.

A native Texan with a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, Diane now lives in South Florida, though she’s still a Westerner at heart. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Florida Chapter of MWA; Sisters in Crime and the Cat Writers Association.

Hello Diane and welcome!  It's been awhile!  Can you tell us a bit about  what you’ve been doing.

Hi Kitties! Well, let’s see. 2024 was not a good year for me because I
faced some major health challenges which pretty much left me unable to write
or do much of anything. But I think I’ve kicked all those problems and am
jumping back into everything writing for 2025.



Your short story anthology is very diverse.  Which of the stories was your
favorite and why?

Of course, my favorite “tail” is ONCE WE WERE WORSHIPPED. It features two
sassy and clever Edwardian-era cats who steal a cat mummy from their
archeologist caretaker. They hope to raise the mummy from the dead and learn
its magical secrets. Of course, things go very wrong. Now, our two protags
must figure out how to outsmart an ancient Egyptian feline and her small
army of stray cats. I just love talking kitties mixed with magic.

ROCCO:  I like to think we kitties are magical too!

Which of the stories did you find the most challenging to write?

I’d say it was THE FACE IN THE LEAVES, just because the story was written
in epistolary style with all the action happening via letters or journal
entries. But I think I did a pretty decent job of it.



What made you decide to self publish a story anthology versus a full length
book of fiction?

Actually, I’d published the WBTD anthology awhile back as an ebook, but I’d
had enough requests for it in paper that I figured at end of last year that
now was the time to move. I’m not that techy so it took me a bit to get the
formatting right, but I finally did. It’s great to hold an actual copy of
the book in my hand.



Your Tarot Cat series was so  much fun! Any chance of more in that series?

You bet! I’m several chapters into MAGICIAN’S QUARREL, book 2 in the
series. I hope to finish no later than June and find a publisher so it can
hit the shelves by December.



That said, we all miss Hamlet and the Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries! If the
series were ever to be reprised, where do you see it going?

As I don’t have the story rights to Hammy and the gang (a long story that
you can find on my website), I’d have reimagine the series in order to
revive it. I’ve actually done a bit of notetaking on the bookshop now being
located in St. Augustine, Florida, with Hamlet now dubbed Omelet the Cat!
But this will have to wait until I have a couple more Tarot Cat and Georgia
B&B mysteries published.

Chazz:  We all miss Hamlet!  And we wanted to see if Darla and Reese ever got together!

What do you consider more important, plot or character?

For cozy mysteries like I write? Definitely “character”. Readers will
forgive a thin plot if they already love the characters who populate that
world. But a complicated plot with no likeable characters tends to equal a
“did not finish” for them.



What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?  This
is pretty well addressed above.



Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

You can find me at www.dianestuckart.com <http://www.dianestuckart.com>
where you can also sign up for my monthly newsletter and see my upcoming
appearances virtually and in person.


ROCCO and Chazz’s Fast Five.  One sentence answers, please  :)\

*       If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do 

After  paying off the house I’d make donations to my two favorite local cat
rescues!!
*       What celebrity are you dying to meet (or have met)

 I’d be thrilled to meet Keanu Reeves who, by all accounts, is a hecka nice guy.
*       Saturday night:  go out or stay in Eh, stay in.
*       Holidays: Party at home, or go out for a glam dinner 

U prefer anyplace where I don’t have to cook or clean up!
*       What is something you are really bad at? 

I am baaaaad at sports (with my wonky knee I can barely even walk!).

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Diane will give away a copy of WHOS BEHIND THE DOOR to one lucky commenter!

Winner's choice of either trade paperback or  e-book (foreign entrants - e-book only).

Just leave a comment in our comments section with your email address!  the winner will be chosen by Chazz at random.  Contest closes February 13th!