Plundered Christmas--Pirates, Storms, Murder!

Pirate legends, unexpected storms, murder.

Will Jeanine discover the truth before someone else winds up dead?

About Plundered Christmas:
Compelled to spend Christmas on a private island with her father’s future bride and family, Jeanine learns that Margo Banet is descended from a pirate queen.
Relatives and friends all have their reasons for attending the festivities—including the legendary treasure. But when Margo’s nephew winds up dead and a violent storm cuts them off mainland, Jeanine has to wonder if they will solve the mystery before someone else dies trying.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

About the author:

Susan A. J. Lyttek, author of kids’ comedy, "Guzzy Goofball" and the "Homeschool Play from Outer Space" and the cozy mystery trilogy by Harbourlight Books which includes the recent Plundered Christmas, is a wife and homeschool mother who writes early mornings in the shadow of our nation’s capital. She also enjoys training up the next generation of writers online through Write At Home, and by teaching middle and high school co-op classes. Learn more about her and her projects at sajlyttek.com.




What COTT Voters Had to Say:

--Susan Lyttek, you are an amazing and talented writer.
--Susan, I can't wait to read your new book!
--Looking forward to reading Plundered Christmas!
--Love Plundered Christmas.
--Susan, your work continues to thrive, all for the Glory of God! I'm proud to know you, and can't  wait to read this one! A. Montgomery.
--Susan Lyttek, enjoy reading your books.
--I really enjoyed Plundered Christmas--between the character dynamics and the plot twist I never saw coming--well done!
--Great series by Susan Lyttek!

Chat with Susan:

Why do you write the kind of books you do? I homeschooled and am homeschooling. These are the people I’ve been around for the last seventeen years. That’s also why I weave history in. Every homeschool resource I know targets multiple subjects and levels of learning.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? My goal is for today, whatever day that is, to be the happiest. It doesn’t always work, especially when I get a piece of bad news or insufficient sleep, but it’s my goal. I want to live contentedly in what my Lord hands me each day.

What is your favorite season of the year? Christmas. Hands down. What’s special about it for you?? I love my heritage and the special traditions that we have. Every Christmas creates new memories that adds to the woven tapestry of what it is. I also love celebrating the arrival of the son of God in human form!

What is something that very few people know about you? I like to read my Bible in French. C’est vraiment la belle langue!

What three things about you would surprise readers? I have a second degree black belt in tae kwon do. I like LOUD music. (I’m a quiet person, so the music thing surprises most people.) I earned a marksman ribbon with the M-16 when I was in the Air Force.

What can you tell us about your current project? I assume you mean Plundered Christmas. In this mystery, we need to figure out why the Banet family has hidden their heritage all these years, in addition to learning who killed Margo’s nephew. Secrets can poison a family and damage relationships. As the Talbotts uncover the truth about Anne Bonny/Banet, it leads to healing for those who accept it.

Find more great reads at Clash of the Titles!

Bowled Over (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery #2), by Victoria Hamilton

Synopsis: Vintage kitchenware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton has been estranged from her high school best friend Kathy Cooper since they were teenagers, but she never knew what turned Kathy against her. After fireworks at a Fourth of July picnic, Jaymie discovers the body of her former friend in the park. On the ground nearby is Jaymie's own Depression-era glass bowl, broken in two.

With her fingerprints all over the bowl and a troubled history with the victim, Jaymie suddenly finds herself at the top of the list of suspects. Did the killer intend to frame her for the murder? If so, she is ready to mix it up, because solving crimes is vintage Jaymie Leighton .

Thoughts:  I really love this series. This particular book had so many twists and turns, which made it even more enjoyable. Figuring out "whodunit" was definitely not easy--every time I thought I had it figured out, something happened that made me suspect someone else instead. Jaymie's relationships with the other people in town are blossoming, and I'll be anxious to see what happens with her, Daniel and Zack.  Can't wait to listen to the next one!

Pies And Prejudice (A Charmed Pie Shop Mystery), Ellery Adams

Synopsis: When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flakey crust. But her pies aren't just delicious. They're having magical effects on the people who eat them--and the public is hungry for more.

Discovering her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. and when Loralyn's fiancé is found dead--killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin--it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name.

Thoughts: A fun story with lots of family relationships,intrigue....and a little bit of magic. I can hardly wait to read the rest of this series.

How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder, by Mike Gilbert

Synopsis: The shocking tale told in How I Helped O. J. Get Away With Murder is unlike anything you've read before; it isn't Mike Gilbert's "version" of what happened—it's the unvarnished truth: the truth about O. J., the murders, and the infamous trial. Not as Gilbert imagined or would like it to be, but how it actually was. Gilbert doesn't spare anyone, not even himself—he helped deceive the jury and feels deeply responsible for the "Not Guilty" verdict.

So why is Gilbert speaking out now? Has he gone from sinner to saint? Is he making a play for sympathy or looking to make a quick buck? No. (Proceeds from this book are going to March of Dimes and other selected charities.) Gilbert has written this book because he regrets what he did for his adored childhood idol. He can no longer find any excuse for how he has shielded O. J. Simpson, and he is determined to tell the full truth, including: 

—O. J.'s late-night confession to Gilbert

—How Gilbert was responsible for O. J.'s hand not fitting the murder glove

—Why O. J. murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman (it was more than jealousy)

—Why Gilbert defended O. J. for so long—and what finally convinced him he could do so no longer

— How O. J. ignored his financial obligations to the Goldman family and milked the tabloids for money

—The real reason why an armed O. J. burst in on the memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas (Gilbert had what O. J. was looking for) 

Told with searing candor, no one comes out of this book with his reputation intact—including Gilbert's own. But he casts a glaring light on how celebrity can corrupt, how power can mislead, and how friendship and loyalty can be perverted. His book is meant to set the record straight, to lay to rest the ghosts of that dreadful night that have haunted him ever since, and to now play what little part he can to forward the process of justice

Thoughts: After listening to this book, I was even more disgusted than after listening to O.J.'s book. In this one, I found out a lot more about the volatility of O.J. and Nicole's relationship, as well as about the events that led up to the murders. I also learned why the gloves didn't fit during the trial (the author suggested that O.J. not take his arthritis medication). There were SO many disturbing revelations in this book, making me even more disgusted with the so-called "dream team" as well as O.J.

A Vision In Velvet (A Wishcraft Mystery #6), Juliet Blackwell

Synopsis: Lily Ivory hopes to score some great vintage fashions when she buys an antique trunk full of old clothes. But she may have gotten more than she bargained for.

As soon as Lily opens the trunk, she feels strange vibrations emanating from a mysterious velvet cloak. When she tries it on, Lily sees awful visions from the past. And when the antiques dealer who sold her the cape is killed, Lily suspects a supernatural force might be behind his death.

Then Lily’s familiar, Oscar the potbellied pig, disappears. Lily will do anything to get him back—including battling the spirit of a powerful witch reaching out from the past. But even with the aid of her grandmother, unmasking a killer and saving Oscar might be more than one well-intentioned sorceress can handle.

Thoughts: Yet another fabulous story in this series. I think this is my favorite so far. Lily is really coming to grips with her power, her helping spirit,and her various relationships. The entire storyline around Oscar's disappearance had me worrying throughout the book, scared he wasn't coming back. I was pleased with the way that was resolved, and tied to the main murder mystery. 

Tarnished And Torn (A Witchcraft Mystery #5), Juliet Blackwell

Synopsis: When Lily arrives at an antique jewelry fair, her bargain sensors go off left and right—but she also picks up a faint vibration of magic. Could the hard-bargaining merchant Griselda be a fellow practitioner? It certainly seems that way when a sudden fire sends panic through the crowd, and Lily discovers Griselda murdered in a way that nods to an old-fashioned witch hunt.

A crime that hits close to home turns into an unwelcome flash from the past when the police bring in their lead suspect—Lily's estranged father. Though he may not deserve her help, Lily is determined to clear her father's name and solve a murder that's anything but crystal clear.

Thoughts: My least favorite book of the series to this point. It seemed a lot darker than the others, and I prefer my cozy mysteries to be a little more light and fun. However, I do hope that Ms. Blackwell will further explore the relationship between Lily and her father, Declan.

If I Did It: Confessions Of The Killer, O.J. Simpson

Synopsis: In 1994, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were brutally murdered at her home in Brentwood, California. O. J. Simpson was tried for the crime in a case that captured the attention of the American people, but was ultimately found not guilty of criminal charges. The victims' families brought a civil case against Simpson, and he was found liable for willfully and wrongfully causing the deaths of Ron and Nicole by committing battery with malice and oppression.

In 2006, Harper Collins announced the publication of a book in which O. J. Simpson told how he hypothetically would have committed the murders. In response to public outrage that Simpson stood to profit from these crimes, Harper Collins canceled the book. A Florida bankruptcy court awarded the rights to the Goldmans in August 2007 to partially satisfy the unpaid civil judgment, which has risen to over $38 million with interest. 

The Goldman family views this book as his confession, and has worked hard to ensure that the public will read this book and learn the truth. This is the original manuscript approved by O. J. Simpson, with up to 14,000 words of key additional commentary. 

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice.

Thoughts: Most of this book was disgustingly obvious BS,an attempt to make Nicole Brown look like a horrible person,apparently to convince people she deserved what she got. The only chapter that rings true is the one which describes the night of the grisly murder, the chapter which The Killer still insists is purely hypothetical. I came away from this book even more convinced that he is guilty, and that he deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail.

Hearse And Buggy (An Amish Mystery #1), Laura Bradford

Synopsis: Claire Weatherly has fled a high-stress lifestyle for a slower pace—in Amish country: Heavenly, Pennsylvania. She only planned a short visit but instead found herself opening an Amish specialty shop, Heavenly Treasures, and settling in.Claire loves her new home, and she’s slowly making friends among the locals, including Esther, a young Amish woman who works in the shop. So when the store’s former owner,the unlikable Walter Snow, is murdered, and the man Esther is sweet on becomes a suspect, Claire can’t help but get involved. Newly returned Detective Jakob Fisher, who left Heavenly—and his Amish upbringing—as a teenager, is on the case. But his investigation is stalled by the fact that none of his former community will speak with him. Claire’s connections make her the perfect go-between. As Claire investigates, she uncovers more than she wanted to know about her neighbors. And suddenly, everything she had hoped to find in this peaceful refuge is at risk.

Thoughts: I'm a big fan of stories which include the Amish, and this first book in a series did not disappoint. The glimpses into Amish life, mingled with the English life of the main character, and tied together by both the murder mystery and the police detective (a shunned former Amish man related to several people in town), makes for a very interesting story. I can't wait to get the second book from the library!

A Cast Off Coven (A Witchcraft Mystery #2), Juliet Blackwell

Synopsis: Students are spooked at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts, and Lily is called in to search for possible paranormal activity. In return she's been promised a trunkful of Victorian-era clothes recently discovered in a school storage closet.

But Lily finds something else: the body of a wealthy patron of the school. In between running the store and seeing her new boyfriend, Max—a "mythbuster" who is uncomfortable with her witchcraft—she uses her sleuthing skills to try to solve the murder. Soon Lily senses something from the school's vintage clothes, but it's not the smell of mothballs—it's the unmistakable aura of evil intent.

Thoughts:  Murder, ghosts, and demons....not exactly conducive to learning, even at a school of fine arts. But Ms. Blackwell writes about them in such a way that most of the book left me smiling---except for a couple of really creepy scenes.  Lily's familiar, Oscar, is starting to grow on me, especially in his gobgoyle form (half goblin, half gargoyle)--his potbellied pig form is, naturally, mute.  Max and Lily are getting closer, which is fascinating to follow, sinee he doesn't believe in anything supernatural.

Wicked Weaves (Renaissance Faire Mystery #1), Joyce and Jim Lavene

Synopsis: Assistant professor Jessie Morton spends her summers at the Renaissance Village honing her skills and finding the lady, lord, or serf whodunnit.

This summer Jessie is the apprentice to Mary Shift, a basket-maker with a dark past as well as incredible weaving skills. One day a man is bid a deadly fare-thee-well with Mary?s signature weave around his neck. It?s up to Jessie to spring Mary from the stocks of the Myrtle Beach police station. Yet innocence is hard to prove in a place where there?s a fine line between reality and good theater?and history is bound to repeat itself.

Thoughts: Another cozy I had high hopes for, as I love RenFest here in Ohio. Unfortunately, it never really grabbed and held my attention. Honestly, I found myself falling asleep every time I sat down and started reading it.

Broken Silence, Karen Rose

Synopsis: After a traumatic kidnapping, Daphne's boss insists that she take time off. But she refuses to sit on the sidelines when she meets a six-year-old girl who the police call Angel. Angel hasn't spoken a word since they found her four days ago next to a burned out car, frozen with shock, and not far from the bodies of two adults who may or may not have been her parents.

Joseph knows that helping Angel is exactly what Daphne needs right now. But when Daphne gets Angel to talk, a mysterious and chilling crime begins to unravel - one that drives Daphne into the darkest corners of her past as she and Joseph track a ruthless killer.

Thoughts: 73 page novella...full of suspense and emotion. Haven't read any of Rose's other books in this series, but I may have to check out more about Daphne in the future.

Secondhand Spirits (A Witchcraft Mystery), by Juliet Blackwell

Synopsis: Lily Ivory hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion—she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry—her store becomes a big hit.

But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime. She tries to keep her identity a secret while investigating, but it's not easy—especially under the spells of sexy "mythbuster" Max Carmichael and powerful witch Aidan Rhodes. Will Lily's witchy ways be forced out of the closet?

Thoughts: Read this a few years ago, but when I found the entire series in audiobooks from my library, I decided to start over from the beginning. Lily is such a fun character, and I love the idea of her having a vintage clothes store, where she can match clothes to people based on the vibrations.  Her "familiar," Oscar, is great fun as well.  The mystery is well told, and while the clues were there all along, they weren't always easy to pick out, which for me is a good thing.

One Book In The Grave (Bibliophile Mystery #5), Kate Carlisle

Synopsis: Brooklyn's chance to restore a rare first edition of "Beauty and the Beast" seems a fairy tale come true-until she realizes the book last belonged to an old friend of hers. Ten years ago, Max Adams fell in love with a stunning beauty, Emily, and gave her the copy of "Beauty and the Beast" as a symbol of their love. Soon afterward, he died in a car crash, and Brooklyn has always suspected his possessive ex-girlfriend and her jealous beau.

Now she decided to find out who sold the book and return it to its rightful owner-Emily. With the help of her handsome boyfriend, Derek Stone, Brooklyn must unravel a murder plot-before she ends up in a plot herself.

Thoughts: Brooklyn gets herself and her family in the midst of yet another murder. This time, however, Brooklyn doesn't seem as scattered and is nearly domesticated. Her relationship with Derek is maturing, as is her character. The confrontation with the killer was one of my favorite scenes of the entire book. Already have the next three books in the series in my audiobook TBR lineup.

Tempest In A Teapot (Teapot Collector Mystery #1), Amanda Cooper

Synopsis: When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother’s cozy shop, Auntie Rose’s Victorian Teahouse, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antique teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of teahouse events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson’s upcoming bridal shower.

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be’s choice of venue—like Cissy’s grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long-simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy’s fiancé’s mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list.

Thoughts: In spite of loving Victoria Hamilton's Vintage Kitchen series, this new book by her alter ego, Amanda Cooper,was not a favorite of mine. The characters didn't appeal to me, the descriptions were too long and wordy, and I honestly didn't care who the murderer was, as I was simply glad the victim was dead...I despised her THAT early on in the story!!!

A Potion To Die For (A Magic Potion Mystery #1), Heather Blake

Synopsis: As the owner of Little Shop of Potions, a magic potion shop specializing in love potions, Carly Bell Hartwell finds her product more in demand than ever. A local soothsayer has predicted that a couple in town will soon divorce—and now it seems every married person in Hitching Post, Alabama, wants a little extra matrimonial magic to make sure they stay hitched.

But when Carly finds a dead man in her shop, clutching one of her potion bottles, she goes from most popular potion person to public enemy number one. In no time the murder investigation becomes a witch hunt—literally! Now Carly is going to need to brew up some serious sleuthing skills to clear her name and find the real killer—before the whole town becomes convinced her potions really are to die for!

Thoughts: Heather has done it again! Just like in her Wishcraft mysteries, she's created another group of characters who are fun, likeable, and realistic. Carly, her parents, her aunts, and all her friends and acquaintances live in Hitching Post, Alabama,which is a prime location for weddings. Carly runs a potion shop, and her cousin, with whom she has a troubled relationship, runs a hex shop. Carly's ex-fiancee is a cop, and her best friend is married to the local minister. Her mother runs a wedding chapel, and each of her three aunts run a bed and breakfast. You can see the potential for a LOT of stories here!

Murder On The Half Shelf (Booktown Mystery #6), Lorna Barrett

Synopsis: The town of Stoneham is a haven for bookstores, but it is sadly lacking in bed-and-breakfasts. Fortunately Pippa and Jon Comfort's Sheer Comfort Inn is about to open, and the couple has offered some locals a free night as a trial run. 
But it won't be so easy to sleep after Tricia makes two startling discoveries: Pippa's murdered body in the backyard, and the fact that Pippa's husband, Jon, is actually Harry Tyler, a man Tricia loved--and believed dead--for nearly twenty years. 
Though Harry is the prime suspect, Tricia doesn't believe him capable of murder, even though he's led a life of lies. Especially when she discovers that Pippa had a few secrets of her own--some that may have been worth killing for.

Thoughts: Considering how many bookstores and book related cafes/restaurants there are in Stoneham,New Hampshire, I think I've found my dream residence.  :)  Tricia is a very likeable character, but her sister is a snobby, entitled jerk. In this book, Tricia's on again/off again boyfriend, also the police chief, is putting distance between them to keep townspeople from talking. I wasn't a fan of Mr. Everett and his wife, Grace...they annoyed me just a little too much.  The plot was a good one, but I didn't feel there were enough clues to lead me to the solution before it was written out for me.

Murder Under Cover, Kate Carlisle

Synopsis: When she receives an exquisite copy of the Kama Sutra from her best friend, Robin, to appraise and restore, Brooklyn Wainwright anticipates both recreating a beautiful book and spicing up her love life. But then Robin's apartment is ransacked, and the great guy she recently met is murdered in her bed. Now Robin is the #1 suspect. Obviously, exploring the Kama Sutra's bliss will have to wait until after Brooklyn finds the killer.

Thoughts: Listened to this online, and loved it. Brooklyn and Derek are a great couple, and all the supporting characters are so real and believable. I absolutely LOVE her mother's personality, and was totally shocked at how the mystery played out. I look forward to reading/listening to more of this series. 

Dying In Style (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #1), Elaine Viets

Synopsis: Mystery shopper Josie Marcus's report about Danessa Celedine's exclusive store is less than stellar, and it may cost the fashion diva fifty million dollars. But Danessa's financial future becomes moot when she's found murdered, strangled with one of her own thousand-dollar snakeskin belts-and Josie is accused of the crime.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would at first. The different mystery shopping jobs the main character had to take part in were hilarious...and the murder she had to solve was captivating. I love the interactions between Josie, her mother and her daughter as well.

Cloche And Dagger (A Hat Shop Mystery), Jenn McKinlay

Synopsis: Not only is Scarlett Parker’s love life in the loo—as her British cousin Vivian Tremont would say—it’s also gone viral with an embarrassing video. So when Viv suggests Scarlett leave Florida to lay low in London, she hops on the next plane across the pond. Viv is the proprietor of Mims’s Whims, a ladies’ hat shop on Portobello Road bequeathed to both cousins by their beloved grandmother, and she wants Scarlett to finally join her in the millinery business.

But a few surprises await Scarlett in London. First, she is met at the airport not by Viv, but by her handsome business manager, Harrison Wentworth. Second, Viv—who has some whims of her own—seems to be missing. No one is too concerned about the unpredictable Viv until one of her posh clients is found dead wearing the cloche hat Viv made for her—and nothing else. Is Scarlett’s cousin in trouble? Or is she in hiding?

Thoughts: For me, this book took way too long to actually reach out and grab me...I was halfway done before I really began to care about the characters and the mystery. Hoping that, since this was the debut of the series, the second book will move along a little faster and be more exciting.

A Pedigree To Die For, Laurien Berenson

Synopsis: The world of show dogs-and their handlers, judges, breeders and owners-provides the principle background in this competent, somewhat drawn-out debut. Melanie Travis, 30, a teacher in Stamford, Conn., and the divorced mother of four-year-old Davey, doesn't own a dog, although her aunt Peg and uncle Max breed standard poodles. One morning Max is found dead of a heart attack on the kennel floor; after the funeral, Peg asks Melanie to find Beau, the kennel's star stud dog that has been missing since the night Max died. Melanie, whose summer job has fallen through, agrees but doesn't necessarily agree with Peg that someone else must have been in the kennel that night. Setting out on the dog-show circuit, ostensibly seeking a world-class mate for her poodle, Melanie meets assorted handlers and breeders, a respected judge and an attractive hunk named Sam Driver who had tried very hard to buy Beau from Max. In fairly predictable girl-sleuth tradition, Melanie also encounters murder and the possibility of romance. A bonanza for ardent dog fanciers and for others, a likable heroine in a smoothly paced romantic mystery. 

Thoughts: Read this for the Big Library Read 2014. I'm usually a big fan of cozy mysteries that include animals--not so much with this one, though. I had to force myself to finish the last ten chapters, and by the end I really didn't even care who the killer was, particularly since it was a character that had almost no part in the story till nearly the end.