The only
thing worse than a persistent suitor? A dead one on your lawn.
About the Book:
London,
1892. Alice,
Duchess of Stortford, has returned to town determined to enjoy her first Season
as a wealthy widow. But instead of balls, flirtation, and whispered gossip, she
finds herself besieged by ambitious bachelors—none more persistent than the
insufferably smooth-talking Miles Fonthill. When Alice firmly refuses his
sudden proposal, she assumes the matter is settled.
Instead, he
turns up dead in her garden.
The police
are happy to call it a tragic accident. Alice is less convinced.
Why was
Miles climbing over her garden wall in the middle of the night? Why had he
become so determined to win her favour? And what did he really want?
As Alice
begins to dig into Miles’ final days, her search leads her into the glittering
heart of London society, where old loyalties run deep, secrets are guarded
fiercely, and reputation matters more than truth. But when whispers of the
mysterious Order of the Golden Key begin circling dangerously close to her own
late husband’s name, Alice realises this death may be far more complicated than
one unwelcome suitor meeting an unfortunate end.
And if
someone is willing to kill to keep their secrets…this Season may prove
positively deadly.
Perfect for
fans of feisty female sleuths, Victorian High Society, and secret scandals, all
served with a dash of humour and a cup of tea.
Helen Golden
spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served
with a twist of humour.
With quirky
characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s
the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series,
following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they
uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical
mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian
England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own
family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and
overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.
Helen lives in a
quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter,
and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too
many fish.
If you love
clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are
waiting for you.
A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mysteryby Valerie Taylor
About A Jewel of a Crime:
A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting - Set in Chatham Crossing, a fictional whaling town between Providence and Cape Cod
Publisher : Aspetuck Publishing
Publication date : June 2, 2026
Print length : 322 pages
PaperbackISBN-13 : 979-8986599564
ASIN : B0GVPVMJBSDigital
ISBN-13 : 979-8986599571
ASIN : B0GRCG64BR
With green streaks in her hair and “Rock the Shamrock” polish on her nails, Venus Bixby is ready to trade dance recitals for airplane tickets.
After selling her dance studio, she has a brand-new plan: travel the world and recover stolen art. But life deals Venus an unexpected card. When she pulls back a curtain in the studio and finds the new owner dead on the couch, her next adventure becomes a very public nightmare.
With Chatham Crossing’s whisper mill in overdrive, Venus is now a prime suspect (because of course she is). In the process of clearing her name, she discovers her late husband secretly bought an emerald ring—and now it’s missing.
As burglaries ripple through this charming town, Venus wonders if the studio owner’s death and the missing emerald are part of the same glittering crime spree.
Between gossiping neighbors, buried secrets, and one very inconvenient corpse, Venus will need sharp instincts—and maybe a touch of Irish luck—to solve the case before her passport dreams are grounded for good.
A Jewel of a Crime is book three in the Venus Bixby Mystery series. Expect cozy clues, small-town charm, amateur sleuthing, cats, and a mystery that keeps sparkling with surprises.
Includes cookie recipes and an oldies playlist!
About Valerie Taylor:
Valerie Taylor considers herself an “average Jane.” She might remind you of a reclusive neighbor who’s secretly writing her next novel. Unlike many of the writers she admires, she doesn’t hold a degree in literature. Instead, she credits her love of storytelling to a steady diet of classic comedy and suspense.
She’s the award-winning author of the romantic comedy trilogy What’s Not Said, What’s Not True, and What’s Not Lost, as well as of the first two books in the Venus Bixby cozy mystery series, A Whale of a Murder and Switched at Death. Her affinity for humor and whodunits was shaped early on by watching Carol Burnett, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, and The Twilight Zone.
When she’s not writing, Valerie enjoys oldies music, a passion sparked by hours growing up spent listening and dancing to Elvis Presley and The Beatles—and by proudly belonging to the Bobby Darin fan club.
Being born into poverty and hardship in 1930s London, Matthew’s
life was one of relentless struggle. One inadvertent act in defence of his
mother would haunt his conscience forever.
Matthew’s journey takes him from the poverty of a cold stone granary to
the opulence of Mayfair and Kensington Palace Gardens, where he starts a
family of his own. Despite working his way to the top of the business world,
he remains an outsider to London’s elite. He then realises that same
elite has an ugly underbelly. High society was a hot bed of depravity.
Will he correct society’s wrongs? Will the man who never succumbed to
expectations be able to challenge his own destiny or will he simply accept the
futility of it all?
About the Author:
Arvind is French and British with roots in India. He lives and works in
Brussels.
Arvind has three adult children, who all live away from Belgium. He reads
literary fiction and was motivated to write after reading three key books: The
Portrait of Dorian Gray, Thérèse Raquin, 1984 and East of Eden.
He is fascinated by the co-existence of good and evil. In his first book,
Emma's Equilibrium, he relates the story of an Olympic winner who suffers hurt
along the way. Choppiness on High Seas charts the life of Matthew from his
ignominious birth to his passing away in peace after having become one of the
weathiest persons in the world.
Arvind loves languages and can speak French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian,
Hindi, Punjabi and Gujarati. He is a stroke survivor and rides, jogs and does
yoga.
He is a strong believer in the duality of fortune and misfortune. He is deeply
spiritual.
Arvind finds writing challenging and frustrating and editing particularly
painful. He, however, believes that writing can be therapeutic and gratifying.
Can you fight like cats and dogs, and still be perfect for each other?
Things are getting ruff in this Brooklyn neighborhood when new veterinarian Caleb Fitch moves in next door to the Whitman Street Cat Cafe and gets on the wrong side of cafe owner Lauren Harlow. Lauren has a few things to teach the new vet on the block, and rescuing kittens is only the start...
Lauren can't ignore the fact that she is instantly attracted to Caleb, but he gets her even more riled up when he argues with her about how best to treat the cats in her care. Determined to smooth things over, Caleb comes to the rescue when a new litter of abandoned kittens is left on Lauren's doorstep, and they confront the fiery attraction that's been building between them from the start. But saving the baby kittens is only the first challenge Lauren and Caleb have to face, and when a real estate developer comes sniffing around their block, they'll have to work together, or risk losing everything...
My Review:
Like Cats and Dogs is the first book in the Whitman Street Cat Cafe. Local cafe manager Lauren Harlow and the new vet next door, Caleb Finch butt heads from the start. This book is most certainly a enemies-to-lovers trope. Some of the encounters at the beginning of the book actually seem more like hate-to-love. This book is also a super-slow burn romance so be prepared for that. Prior relationships for both characters have been rough. Neither are ready for anything in the romance department, or so they thing.
Lauren and Caleb are interesting characters. Lauren is a cat lover. Caleb is a dog lover. They don't see eye-to-eye over pet care, which causes the friction. When sparks fly though, they are scorching. Both characters spend a lot of time with their inner monologues who eventually tell them "best not to think about it," which detracted from the dialogue. Lauren and Caleb's banter brings things back around though.
This is fun story with great characters. The author wrote a spectacular story with several tropes: enemies-to-lovers, contemporary romance, and romcom all mixed together. I enjoyed Like Cats and Dogs so much that, while I was provided a copy of this book, I also bought a copy.
My Rating:
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If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you.
On a frosty Sunday morning in February, Dr. Jonathan Gray, Coroner of Orleans Parish, faces a gruesome sight. A dead man splayed against the circular steel and cut-glass blocks of the city’s AIDS memorial in Washington Square Park has strange symbols carved into his forehead and chest. A coded note—a cipher—has been placed under one hand. The body mutilation and note are hallmarks of a serial killer dubbed by the news media as the “Mardi Gras Sweeper,” because he strikes during Carnival season and leaves coded manifestos taunting police and giving hints about his next victim.
Hoping to avoid a panic during the city’s most profitable season, Mayor Max Jamerson asks Gray to investigate the murder “on the sly,” without formal assistance from the New Orleans Police Department. Time is of the essence as Gray races to figure out the cipher and track down the Sweeper in order to prevent additional killings—and save Mardi Gras.
Praise for Shadows of Frenchmen:
"A chilling, razor-sharp mystery set against the explosive energy of Mardi Gras. This cat-and-mouse hunt fuses cryptic clues, relentless suspense and rising terror into a tale that gives us a horrifyingly intimate glimpse into a killer’s mind. Dr. Jonathan Gray is a hero you won’t forget—and the Mardi Gras Sweeper is a nightmare you won’t escape." ~ Kathleen Antrim, Bestselling Author, President-Outliers Writing University
"Michael Rigg does it again, with another thrilling mystery that you won’t be able to put down featuring New Orleans Coroner Jonathan Gray. Shadows of Frenchmen takes readers into the darkest corners of New Orleans’ lush settings and spooky cemeteries as Gray and his colleagues hunt for a possible serial killer, all against the backdrop of raucous Mardi Gras celebrations. Rigg’s love for this extraordinary city shines through on every page, even as danger lurks among the Spanish moss and above-ground tombs." ~ Ellen Byron, USA Today Bestselling & Agatha Award Winning Author
"As a coroner, Dr. Jonathan Gray is the new Kay Scarpetta. In Shadows of Frenchmen, author Michael Rigg skillfully uses beads, beignets, bullets, bombs, and bodies to make New Orleans vivid and alive." ~ John DeDakis, Former CNN editor, writing coach, and author of the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series, at johndedakis.com.
"Great action from the get-go! Atmosphere, characters, and all the right ingredients. A great read by Michael Rigg!" ~ Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author
"Featuring smart and complex characters, Shadows of Frenchmen pulses with energy, taking the reader on a breathless chase for a serial killer terrorizing the city in the days leading up to a city-wide Mardi Gras celebration. Fans of the intrepid New Orleans coroner Dr. Jonathan Gray will not be disappointed!" ~ K.L. Murphy, Author of the Detective Callie Forde Mysteries, The Great Forgotten, and the award-nominated Her Sister's Death
Alpha and Omega Sunday, February 1, 2015 – 1:47 a.m.
Twenty-plus years with the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office taught Jonathan Gray to expect the unexpected. But Washington Square Park had always been a tranquil haven on the fringe of the French Quarter. So crime-scene tape draping the square’s wrought-iron fence presented the visual equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Moonlight filtering through stately live oaks cast eerie—almost funereal—shadows, adding to the dissonance.
Fluttering in the nippy midwinter breeze, the neon-yellow ribbon communicated
a mute warning. On this side, normalcy. On the other, insanity. Stepping into the dysfunction never got easier. Regardless, turning back wasn’t an option. As if speaking the incantation aloud would immunize him against the unfolding drama, he repeated his trite pre-crime scene mantra: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” His breath lingered in the frosty air before evaporating.
After checking in with the uniformed officer monitoring access, Jonathan angled toward floodlights illuminating a temporary canopy above the city’s AIDS memorial. More tape—red as opposed to yellow—identified the innermost “Do Not Cross” perimeter. Crime scene technicians in white Tyvek protective suits busied themselves measuring and photographing what must be the reason he’d been summoned. A male corpse sitting upright on the ground—its arms and legs twisted at seemingly impossible angles—leaned against the memorial’s circular cut-glass and steel panels surrounded by a pool of thick, dark-crimson liquid.
A curved, nearly rectangular piece of wood with brass edges—most likely a knife handle—protruded from under the right side of the dead man’s rib cage. A portion of his intestines spilled out of the wound. A second knife—its handle and part of its blade visible—had been thrust downward into the soft tissue between the left collarbone and neck.
Cause of death seemed too obvious to require someone of Jonathan’s seniority. A first-year med student could have made the call. But markings carved into the dead man’s forehead and chest hinted at something more sinister. No wonder Mitch Broussard from NOPD had called him in the middle of the night. The man’s heavy flannel shirt lay open, exposing his chest and a series of
capital letters etched into his skin. The letters—G I D I A I D I V—made no sense, at least not in English. A folded piece of paper with similar letters and other symbols, not quite readable from that distance, lay under the man’s left hand. Lack of blood covering the letters in the chest signaled they had been added postmortem. Jonathan focused on two marks in the man’s forehead. An uppercase “A” and what looked like an upside-down horseshoe—the Greek letter Omega—apparently cut while the victim was still alive.
It couldn’t have been two years already. But there it was. Alpha and Omega. Jonathan bit his lip and cursed under his breath. Then, a silent prayer. Looked like the nightmare was about to begin—again.
One of the CSTs stood and raised her clear face shield. “Hey, Doc. Welcome to Funsville.”
Excerpt from SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN by Michael Rigg. Copyright 2026 by Michael Rigg. Reproduced with permission from Michael Rigg. All rights reserved.
Meet the Author:
Agatha and Anthony-nominated author Michael Rigg, a lawyer for more than four decades, writes mysteries and thrillers set in two very different locations: Virginia Beach (where he lives) and New Orleans (which he visits as often as possible “for research,” including participation in three Mardi Gras Krewes). He is a retired Navy Judge Advocate and a retired civilian government attorney, formerly working for the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel. He is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and both the Sisters in Crime national organization and its Southeastern Virginia Chapter—Mystery by the Sea.
