BLOG TOUR: Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper (Death By Cupcake #4) by D.E. Haggerty

Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper (Death by Cupcake) by D.E. Haggerty

About Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper

 

Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper (Death by Cupcake) 

Cozy Mystery Novella 

4th in Series 

Independently Published (November 1, 2019) 

Number of Pages: 80 

ASIN: B07XMF4L35

It’s all candy cane cupcakes and peppermint coffee until you find a dead elf on your doorstep.

Only the elf wasn’t a real elf, because elves don’t actually exist – not even at Christmas time. A college student dressed like an elf decided taking a nap in sub-zero winter temps was a good idea. It wasn’t. Anna, the pink-haired baker extraordinaire of Callie’s Cakes, is convinced the student’s death was not an accident. She drags Callie and Kristie along with her as she attempts to discover who killed the elf … um… student.

Will the gals of Callie’s Cakes find the killer before Christmas is ruined?

Cupcakes not included, although you’ll find recipes for all the delicious Christmas cupcakes Anna baked.

Review: Anna, Callie, and Kristie are back in their fourth adventure, and they are still as entertaining as ever. While the first three books each focused on one of the three women, giving us a deeper insight into her personality and backstory, this one showcases each of them throughout, using their individual skills and talents to the fullest, proving once again what a great team they make.

The easy rapport between the three women is very well written, drawing us into their inner circle of friendship and teamwork. The story is written with the perfect blend of drama and humor--and cupcakes!--to keep you reading to the end. As an added bonus, recipes for all the cupcakes mentioned in the story can be found at the back of the book, so you can add them to your repertoire of holiday treats.

If you are looking for a fun, quick and easy holiday read, this is definitely the one to choose!

Rating: Four stars

About D.E. Haggerty

I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories that have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic before returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where, in between tennis matches and failing to save the world, I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Author links
  Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com
  Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dehaggerty
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dehaggerty/
  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty
  Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/
  Newsletter signup: https://mailchi.mp/027b2768aa1c/newsletter-sign-up-for-a-writers-life-by-de-haggerty
  Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
  Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/d-e-haggerty
  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-e-haggerty-4b49a29/

  Purchase Links Amazon  Goodreads

  a Rafflecopter giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS
  November 1 - I Read What You Write – REVIEW, GUEST POST
  November 1 - Baroness' Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
  November 1 -  FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
  November 2 - My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
  November 2 - The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
  November 3 – Celticlady's Reviews – REVIEW
  November 3 – LibriAmoriMiei - REVIEW
  November 4 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
  November 4 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
  November 5 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST
  November 5 – Laura's interests – REVIEW
  November 6 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
  November 6 – Book Babble – REVIEW
  November 6 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
  November 7 – Cozy Up With Kathy – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT
  November 7 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
  November 8 – Books Direct - REVIEW
  November 8 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT

  Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Self Serve Murder (Death by Cupcake #3) by D.E. Haggerty

Book Series: Death by Cupcake, Book 3 – can standalone

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Humor

Published: December, 2016

Word count: 43,000

 

 Synopsis: Kristie is kind with a capital K, so it’s quite the surprise when she wakes up next to a dead man with no recollection of the previous night. Even worse? She’s naked. Kristie may be a sweetheart out to save the world, but sticking her nose into an investigation of rapes across campus makes her the target of a murderer. Before she knows it, Callie is smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation with her colleagues Callie and Anna. If that’s not enough to drive a sane person up the wall, a friend has decided he’s going to keep her safe whether she wants him to or not. And, oh yeah, he’s her man and that’s that.

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu. You are most welcome, but you may need to serve yourself as our barista Kristie is busy trying to save the world.

Warning: Although there are plenty of moments that will make you shake your head and laugh at the antics of the ladies of Callie’s Cakes, the subject matter – rape on college campuses – is very real and somewhat darker than your usual cozy mystery.

Review: This is my favorite of the three books in this story! While I loved the stories about Callie and Anna, Kristie's story just seemed to be a more realistic, emotionally charged story.

We learn more about Kristie and her life in this book...for instance, her true connection to the Youth Center (which made me love her even more). I also loved that she tried to be the voice of reason to Anna and Callie, while taking risks of her own, ignoring her own voice of reason, Tyler.

The subject matter of rape on college campuses is very timely and serious, and the author handles it very well, while working in humor at the same time.  This entire series is a well-written one with enjoyable characters.

Rating: Five stars

Buy links:
  Amazon
  Smashwords
  Barnes and Noble
  Kobo



About the author

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage, every once in a while, to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But being a lawyer really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out being a B&B owner wasn’t my thing either. I decided to follow the husband to Istanbul for a few years where I managed to churn out book after book. But ten years was too many to stay away from ‘home’. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.

Author links:
Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com
Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/denaehaggerty
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty

Bring Your Own Baker (Death By Cupcake #2) by D.E. Haggerty

BOOK INFORMATION

• Series: Death by Cupcake
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 19, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1533635781
• ISBN-13: 978-1533635785

Synopsis:Anna just wants to earn enough money on the side to buy into the bakery, Callie’s Cakes, where she works together with her best nerd pal Callie. The last thing she expects to see when she walks into Arthur’s apartment to do some moonlighting is a blood bath. Callie’s ready to jump into the investigation into Arthur’s murder, and she’s bringing another bakery worker, Kristie, into their hijinks whether Kristie wants to or not. But things aren’t as they seem. There are gang affiliations, illegal gambling dens, and ladies of the night to wade through. Will Anna and Callie discover who murdered Arthur or will Callie’s detective boyfriend Ben and Anna’s self-appointed protector put a stop to such aspirations? 

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu, but make sure to bring your own baker because Anna’s a bit preoccupied at the moment. 

Warning: This is NOT your mom’s cozy mystery. Bring Your Own Baker may be a ‘clean’ read, but if gangs, illegal gambling, and pimps make you turn your nose up at your e-reader, you might want to skip this one. Although you’ll be missing some sizzling chemistry between Anna and her protector. Not to mention a whole bunch of witty dialogue. 

Review: I loved this book--I think I preferred it more than the first one! Anna is such a fascinating character. She has a unique, wonderful personality, and I enjoyed reading more about her.

Logan is another great character, and his interactions with Anna had me actually laughing out loud. As the synopsis states, they have a lot of witty dialogue, and LOTS of chemistry!

Also glad we get to know more about Kristie in this book. Looking forward to reading more about her, and hope she gets her own adventure (although, honestly, I'd be happy with more stories about Anna!)

In the first book, the chapter titles were all quotes about sweets. In this book, the titles form a recipe--a recipe for creating and solving a mystery--and they are perfect.

This book is very well written, with just the right amounts of mystery, laughs and romance. I didn't figure out the entire mystery until the big reveal, although I had a few ideas along the way that did turn out to be at least partially correct. 

If you enjoy a cozy mystery full of quirky characters, lots of wit and snark, some HOT males, and a murder to solve, then be sure to read this book!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

EXCERPT

I grasp the weapon in my hand and throw it with all my might at him. The weapon makes a ‘tee hee’ sound as it hits his stomach. 

“Did you just throw a Pillsbury dough boy at me?” His voice carries a hint of humor. The Pillsbury dough boy was probably not the best item to grab from the kitchen to use as a weapon. Obviously, I’m totally losing it. 

I inch backwards into the kitchen searching for a more appropriate weapon. Dag nab it! The knives are way over on the other side. I have no choice. Without taking my eyes of the man, I grab a perfectly formed and probably fricking delicious muffin from the tin and throw it at the intruder. Apparently, my fast ball needs some work as he just catches the muffin as if I merely lobbed it in his direction. He smiles and, not bothering with the paper liner, takes a huge bite.

“Mmmm…,” he groans around a mouthful. “This is really good.” 

“Seriously?” I throw my arms in the air before planting my hands on my hips. “If you want my muffins, just come to the bakery. You don’t have to break in.” Uh oh, I nearly forgot that he broke in. I start backing up again, getting ever closer to those knives. 

The man’s eyes narrow as he notices me shuffling my way towards the knives. He stalks me and, when he’s only an arm’s length away, reaches around me and grabs the knife block. He keeps his eyes steady on me as he places the block on top of the refrigerator. Somewhere I can only reach if I get out my step ladder. 

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” I may be terrified and my voice my stutter a bit, but I’m not backing down. Not. One. Bit.

“You’re a feisty little thing, aren’t you?” 

“Who you calling little?” Apparently, I have no regard for my safety at all as I’m now goading an intruder. 

The man chuckles. His smile shows a perfect set of teeth. Huh, not exactly what I expected from Mr. Piercings and Tattoos. “For a pink-haired pixie, you sure aren’t afraid, are you?” 

About the author

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Contact Links

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Pinterest

Goodreads

Amazon author page

Email: dena@dehaggerty.com

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

PRE-RELEASE BLITZ AND GIVEAWAY: Bring Your Own Baker (Death By Cupcake #2) by D.E. Haggerty

Cozy Mystery / Comedy

Date Published: June 20, 2016

Anna just wants to earn enough money on the side to buy into the bakery, Callie’s Cakes, where she works together with her best nerd pal Callie. The last thing she expects to see when she walks into Arthur’s apartment to do some moonlighting is a blood bath. Callie’s ready to jump into the investigation into Arthur’s murder, and she’s bringing another bakery worker, Kristie, into their hijinks whether Kristie wants to or not. But things aren’t as they seem. There are gang affiliations, illegal gambling dens, and ladies of the night to wade through. Will Anna and Callie discover who murdered Arthur or will Callie’s detective boyfriend Ben and Anna’s self-appointed protector put a stop to such aspirations? 

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu, but make sure to bring your own baker because Anna’s a bit preoccupied at the moment. 

Warning: This is NOT your mom’s cozy mystery. Bring Your Own Baker may be a ‘clean’ read, but if gangs, illegal gambling, and pimps make you turn your nose up at your e-reader, you might want to skip this one. Although you’ll be missing some sizzling chemistry between Anna and her protector. Not to mention a whole bunch of witty dialogue. 

EXCERPT

I grasp the weapon in my hand and throw it with all my might at him. The weapon makes a ‘tee hee’ sound as it hits his stomach. 

“Did you just throw a Pillsbury dough boy at me?” His voice carries a hint of humor. The Pillsbury dough boy was probably not the best item to grab from the kitchen to use as a weapon. Obviously, I’m totally losing it. 

I inch backwards into the kitchen searching for a more appropriate weapon. Dag nab it! The knives are way over on the other side. I have no choice. Without taking my eyes of the man, I grab a perfectly formed and probably fricking delicious muffin from the tin and throw it at the intruder. Apparently, my fast ball needs some work as he just catches the muffin as if I merely lobbed it in his direction. He smiles and, not bothering with the paper liner, takes a huge bite.

“Mmmm…,” he groans around a mouthful. “This is really good.” 

“Seriously?” I throw my arms in the air before planting my hands on my hips. “If you want my muffins, just come to the bakery. You don’t have to break in.” Uh oh, I nearly forgot that he broke in. I start backing up again, getting ever closer to those knives. 

The man’s eyes narrow as he notices me shuffling my way towards the knives. He stalks me and, when he’s only an arm’s length away, reaches around me and grabs the knife block. He keeps his eyes steady on me as he places the block on top of the refrigerator. Somewhere I can only reach if I get out my step ladder. 

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” I may be terrified and my voice my stutter a bit, but I’m not backing down. Not. One. Bit.

“You’re a feisty little thing, aren’t you?” 

“Who you calling little?” Apparently, I have no regard for my safety at all as I’m now goading an intruder. 

The man chuckles. His smile shows a perfect set of teeth. Huh, not exactly what I expected from Mr. Piercings and Tattoos. “For a pink-haired pixie, you sure aren’t afraid, are you?” 

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Contact Links

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Pinterest

Goodreads

Amazon author page

Email: dena@dehaggerty.com

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

Book #1 of the series, Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker, is on sale for 99 cents Today!!!

Giveaway

$15 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Never Trust A Skinny Cupcake Baker (Death By Cupcake #1) by D.E. Haggerty

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Cozy Mystery

• Series: Death by Cupcake
• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 12, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1530753228
• ISBN-13: 978-1530753222

Synopsis: A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgeon of suspense. 

Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coaster adventure. Cupcakes not included. 

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Trust-Skinny-Cupcake-Baker-ebook/dp/B01CNZ75DE/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1457501176&sr=8-9&keywords=D.E.+Haggerty

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/620975

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-trust-a-skinny-cupcake-baker-de-haggerty/1123498864?ean=2940152907117

Excerpt

Anna starts to fiddle with the lock, but it’s pretty clear she has no idea what she’s doing. My heart nearly jumps out of my chest when I hear the door behind me open. “What are you doing?”

I turn to stare at the man yelling at us and nearly fall down the stairs in surprise. He’s tall, way taller than Ben, although the kitten heels he’s wearing probably add several inches to his already impressive height. He’s wearing a pink flowered silk robe and his hair is in a hair net. Is that mascara he’s wearing?

I start to apologize for bothering him and take the first step down the stairs, but Anna interrupts my escape attempt.

“Oh thank goodness, you’re home.” She smiles up at him and flutters her lashes. “We’re in a bit of a jam.”

The neighbor crosses his arms over his chest causing the robe to drape open. His chest is completely hairless. I look down to see he’s wearing woman’s underwear. And not just some simple underwear from the local department store. This is the good silk and lace stuff. That can’t be cheap.

“Richard Wagner reportedly liked to wear women’s underwear made of silk and satin.” I can’t seem to help myself from blurting out random facts when I’m nervous.

He ignores me and demands, “What’s going on?” in a voice that makes it clear that although he may enjoy wearing woman’s clothing, he’s definitely a man who won’t be putting up with silly females.

“We’re at our wit’s end,” Anna says as she saunters up to him. Never one to acknowledge another’s personal space, she’s nearly rubbing up against him. With their difference in height, Anna’s chest is nearly aligned with the neighbor’s manly parts. I start to worry about the effect, if any, having Anna’s female attributes in such close quarters will have on the man’s underwear. “We’re trying to notify all of Dolly’s friends about the funeral, but those stupid police took her phone. We have no idea how to find her friends now.”

The man leans away from Anna and relaxes a tiny bit. “You’re friends of Dolly? I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“We know her from work,” I pipe up.

He raises an eyebrow at me and then proceeds to very obviously check out my assets. A smile lights up his face. “Yeah, I can see you working at Club Bristol.” He looks down at Anna and smirks. “But this little pink-haired one isn’t exactly the type.”

I nearly swallow my tongue and manage to stop myself from asking what Club Bristol is. He needs to think we work there as he obviously doesn’t know about Dolly’s job as a pole dancing instructor. Anna is much quicker on the uptake than me. “I work behind the scenes,” she says. “You know costume design and that sort of thing.” Does she actually know what Club Bristol is? Or is she guessing?

The neighbor nods as if it makes sense. I can only hope it does. “Sorry, I can’t help you. I don’t have a key to Dolly’s place.” He scoots back into his apartment. “I need to get some sleep. I had a late shift last night.” I wonder what kind of work he does. “Good luck.” And with that, he shuts his door, and I hear the lock click as well.

Review:  One of my favorite authors, cupcakes, and cozy mystery--it's a trifecta of perfection!!  This is the fifth book I've read by this author, and I have yet to be disappointed. From chick-lit to cozy mysteries, she is a winner!

This series features Callie, a curvy woman who owns a bakery and is a professor of German literature at the local university. She has very low self-esteem and self-confidence, in spite of being chased for the past year by Detective Hottie, as Anna, her pink-haired pixie of a baker, calls him. Anna and Callie play off each other SO well, and add plenty of humor to the story. I also enjoyed the cute little quotes/comments at the beginning of each chapter,which usually have something to do with cupcakes.

Ben, the detective, is a true gentleman, and a romantic to boot. I kept wanting to shake some sense into Callie every time she tried to tell him that he was out of her league, or anything else along those lines. Getting to witness her journey to believing in herself, and in the two of them, is going to be a great side story in this series.

I enjoyed trying to solve the murder along with this trio. I thought I had it figured out at one point, but boy, was I wrong...the final reveal was a shocker for me!  I can't wait to see what other adventures these characters get into as the series progresses.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Contact Information

Website: dehaggerty.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dehaggerty/

Twitter: twitter.com/denaehaggerty

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty

Google+: plus.google.com/u/0/+DEHaggerty/posts

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1457501980&sr=1-2-ent

Pinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLAST: Never Trust A Skinny Cupcake Baker by D.E. Haggerty

Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker by D.E. Haggerty

Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker (Death by Cupcake Book 1)

Cozy Mystery 

Self-Published 

Publication Date: April 11, 2016 

Print Length: 155 pages 

ASIN: B01CNZ75DE

Synopsis

A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgen of suspense.

Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coast adventure. Cupcakes not included.

 Excerpt #1

“Why don’t you sit back down, Ms. Muller?” Detective Duchamp’s use of my last name concerns me. I sit back down and stare at him, hoping my elevated heart rate isn’t obvious. “Why did you rush off after class on Tuesday without showering?”

“I never shower at the gym.” I shiver. “I’m not comfortable with showering in front of other people.”

The detective sneers at that. “You better get used to it. No private showers in prison.”

I throw my hands in the air. “I know you’re trying to goad me into making some sort of confession or slip up or something, but I didn’t kill anyone. Why in the world would I kill Dolly? She’s not even a blip on my radar. I’m a successful business owner, I have a PhD, I teach at the University. Why would I risk all that for someone like her?” Unfortunately, my voice has turned condescending. Probably not the best attitude when accused of murder.

That’s when Duchamps pulls a card out of the file. It’s in a clear plastic bag, which I assume is an evidence bag, but it’s still obvious what the card is – a Callie’s Cakes postcard. The yellow and white striped postcards are free with a gift box. “I assume you know what this is.”

“Of course, I know what that is.” There’s no sense denying the truth even though I’m a bit apprehensive as to why they have a card from my bakery.

The detective pushes the card across the table, and I look down. “Sorry about your car, Callie.”

I push the card back and stare at the detective. “Seriously? This is your evidence?” The detectives look smug. I’m going to enjoy bringing them down a peg. “First of all, I can prove that I didn’t key her car.” I count off on my fingers. “And secondly, that’s not my handwriting. Not even close.”

I see a moment of doubt in Duchamps face before he recovers, and his face is once again a mask. He grabs the evidence bag and puts it back in the file. “We’ll see about that.” He stands. “In the meantime, you’ll be rotting away in jail.”

The door opens, and a man I don’t know enters. “Oh no, she won’t.” He turns to me and holds out his hand. “Dr. Muller, if you will.”

I will!

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time

Author Links: 
Website 
Blog 
Facebook 
Twitter 
Google+ 
Pinterest 
GoodReads 
Amazon author page 

Purchase Links 
Amazon 
Smashwords 
Barnes and Noble 
Kobo

More Books By D. E. Haggerty

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RELEASE TOUR: Never Trust A Skinny Cupcake Baker (Death By Cupcake #1) by D.E. Haggerty