By Brenda Whiteside (Guest Blogger)
For the past six years, my sister and I have toasted our birthdays with a chocolate martini in an historic hotel bar in Prescott, Arizona. As the celebration became a tradition, we came to call ourselves the Chocolate Martini Sisters. The name was instant inspiration for me. I imagined two sisters, amateur sleuths, finding murder each time they came together to celebrate. The idea was born. But I’m a suspense author, and I needed mystery skills. That’s when I enlisted a writer friend in Minnesota, Joyce Proell. She liked my idea, and we became the Chocolate Martini Sisters writing team.
Cornbread, Ribs, and Murder (A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery, book 3) eBook will release on April 30. It’s on preorder this week. The print book is available right now.
The third book in this amateur sleuths, cozy mystery series will have you chuckling and on the edge of your seat as the sisters solve the murder.
Blurb
It’s a rib cookoff…with a recipe for murder.
Nicole Earp and Emma Banefield are celebrating another birthday at the Dulce Inn with the added fun of a rib cookoff in the park. Not only are chocolate martinis in their plans, Nic has her heart set on winning the cornbread contest. But as the excitement bakes, someone is stirring up trouble for the inn and its employees.
Strange occurrences at the Dulce are on the rise. Slashed tires, menacing phone calls, and unsavory characters add a vibe that threatens the sisters’ anticipated fun-filled stay. When the hot-headed hotel owner is caught wielding a bloody letter opener over a dead coworker, the sisters are embroiled in a caper to help the one person who finds their sleuthing as welcomed as a rattlesnake in her bed. But is she innocent?
The Chocolate Martini Sisters are primed to find out. First, they’ll have to eliminate a host of suspects that includes a dishonest restaurant owner, a jilted girlfriend, an ex-wife, the barkeeper, and a masseuse with a crush. If they can stay off the radar of the surly chief homicide detective long enough, they can put out the fire…unless the killer burns them first.
Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW1GPJR7
Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1GPJR7
Amazon CA
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CW1GPJR7
AND OTHER AMAZON SITES
BookBub
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210562510-cornbread-ribs-and-murder
Excerpt
“Care for a celebratory chocolate martini?” Grinning, Emma attempted to arch one questioning brow, similar to the dramatic effect she’d seen in movies, but both shot up.
Nic chuckled. “Do you really need to ask?”
In silent agreement, they’d set a course to the Azul Saloon when a piercing scream rang out. Emma startled, then froze.
“What the heck?” Nic grabbed her hand clawing into the skin enough to make her flinch, then gulped and, noticing her pained expression, released her grip. “Sorry.”
The scream set a fire under the desk manager’s feet who darted from the reception area.
“For an older man, Oliver Stonewell sure can move.” Emma hustled after him, sprinting across the lobby, curious about what she might find at the source of the wretched scream. Nic kept pace at her side, hand flat against the top of her hat, holding it steady.
As they closed in on the administrative office corridor, another longer scream morphed into a painful yowl. “Hellllp.”
The agonized cry tripped along Emma’s spine like jagged nails scratching at her skin. She raced past Jillian’s empty office. Following Oliver, she veered into the second open doorway and halted with a gasp. Oh my God. She’d seen the raw ugliness of death before, yet it didn’t prepare her for this—lots and lots of blood blossomed across the man’s shirt. She clapped a hand to her mouth stifling a cry. Unexpectedly light-headed, dots floated across her vision. Teetering, she caught the door jamb. Her legs steadied, but her stomach threatened to revolt.
“Aw, jeez,” muttered Nic, echoing the horror coursing through her shaky body.
* * *
You can find all of the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery books here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BQ9T7ZBX
After hearing countless stories as a mental health professional, Joyce Proell retired to create her own tales. As an award-winning author, she writes historical romance and cozy mystery where all endings are guaranteed happy. She shares her home on the prairie with a husband and a little dog with a big personality. When she isn’t reading or writing, she likes to swim and finds baking almost as relaxing as a day at the spa.
Visit Joyce at her website: https://joyceproell.com/ or at https://www.facebook.com/JoyceProellAuthor
Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. She writes children’s books under the pen name, Brenda Sue. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won't discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.
Visit Brenda at https://www.brendawhiteside.com
or https://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor
3 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting us today. Sorry for the late check in. Computer snafus threw me off.
Welcome back to Beyond Romance, Brenda! No apology required!
I love the fact that you really ARE a Chocolate Martini sister (though I have to admit that the notion of a chocolate martini does NOT appeal to me personally!)
Thanks.
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