Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst ~ Cozy Mystery

 

Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst

About Murder, Local Style:

 

Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Setting - Hawaii

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House

Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages

Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1448316588

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448316588

Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448316571

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FVLW3ZL8

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i. A dinner to die for! It’s been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen are finally settling into life on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Val’s even joined the neighborhood orchid society to make some new friends. So when she’s asked to step in to cater their latest social event, as the newbie of the group she can’t exactly say no. But what should have been a straightforward gig is soon a dining disaster when the food from the event poisons and kills the society president. As Val herself becomes a suspect in the murder investigation, she’s determined to uncover the truth. Who would want to kill the mild-mannered president of the orchid society? Turns out the list is longer than a celebrity chef's tasting menu. Apparently some of the residents did not "love thy neighbor." Can she reveal the killer’s identity before they strike again? This mouthwatering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette, and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.

About Leslie Karst:

Leslie Karst is the Lefty and Macavity Award-nominated author of the Orchid Isle mysteries Waters of Destruction and Molten Death, of the Sally Solari mystery series, and of the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY award silver medal-winning memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School, then returned to school to study the culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie splits her time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California, spending her days writing, cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock.

Author Links:

Website http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/

Chicks on the Case https://chicksonthecase.com/

Mystery Lovers Kitchen https://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lesliekarstauthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesliekarst/

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-karst

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14220589.Leslie_Karst

Purchase Links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop

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#BookReview & #AudiobookReview ~ The Wild Card by Piper Rayne ~ #SportsRomance #Baseball #Romance

Getting pregnant after a one-night stand with my brother's best friend was never part of the plan.

We're talking about Foster Davis here.

Chicago Colts closing pitcher.

The broody king of one-word answers.

And the man everyone knows keeps one foot out the door.

Surprisingly, when two pink lines turn my world upside down, Foster doesn't run. He steps in, he shows up, and he insists we do this together.

Pretending we're fine is easy. Pretending this is just about the baby? Not so much.

Because Foster is gentle when no one's watching.

Because he looks at me like I'm something worth protecting.

Because the walls he's built start to crack—and I'm the one he's letting inside.

Our arrangement was supposed to be simple. Boundaries were set. Co-parents and no catching feelings.

Okay, maybe a few sex lessons were added in too. Bad idea, I know.

Because the more time I spend with Foster Davis, the harder it is to remember why I ever thought he was the risky choice.

Amazon

Goodreads

Audiobook

Duet Narration by: Sean Masters & Erin Mallon

Also Featuring: CJ Bloom, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, Connor Crais, Meg Sylvan, Austin Stone & Willa Jaymes

ASIN: ‎ B0FV3NRZ2Q

Publisher: ‎ Piper Rayne Inc.

Publication date: ‎ April 2, 2026

Print length: ‎ 440 pages

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8887144122

My Review of the Book:

The Wild Card is the amazing second book in The Dugout series by Piper Rayne. I absolutely loved Callie and Foster's story. They both are magnificent characters. They are complex, emotional, and believable. The chemistry they share is off the charts, even though they try to deny their feelings.

One of my favorite tropes is the sibling's best friend romance. This story knocks that trope out of the park! The Wild Card is sweet and spicy, heartwarming and heartbreaking, and filled to the brim with romance and emotion. 

I loved everything about the story, the characters, the setting, and the romance. The authors created a realistic and romantic world. The story flows well, pulls you in, and keeps you engaged. The writing style and story are amazing.

My Review of the Audiobook:

The narrators for this series are spot-on. I love how each voice perfectly portrayed their assigned character. I don't typically read in a specific "voice" in my head, but if I did, Sean Masters and Erin Mallon would be those "voices." I'm excited that I was able to read the book and listen to the audiobook (I don't typically have both formats but for this book I said "Why not?!"). I alternated between formats depending on where I was and what I was doing. 

I was provided with a copy of this book and the audiobook. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

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Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery) by Allie Pleiter ~ Cozy Mystery

 

Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery) by Allie Pleiter

About Two Purloined Pillows:

 

Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Setting - North Carolina

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies

Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 31, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages

Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496752031

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496752031

Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496752055

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FGRZ45KV

Audiobook ASIN: B0FR3WWJ4M

Audio CD ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228762817

When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…

It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .

Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.

To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.

Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.

What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . .

About Allie Pleiter:

An avid crafter, coffee junkie, and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction, working on as many as four books at a time. The bestselling author of over seventy books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-plus-year career with over 1.9 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and the world’s most adorable dog. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.

Author Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliepleiterauthor/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alliepleiter

Facebook group (books): https://www.facebook.com/groups/firesidewithallie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-pleiter-6a021b139

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliepleiter

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alliepleiter/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453346.Allie_Pleiter

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allie-pleiter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Allie-Pleiter/e/B001H6IEUO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Purchase Links:

Author Website - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

April 1 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

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April 1 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW

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April 2 - Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 2 - Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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April 3 – MJB Reviewers - SPOTLIGHT

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April 4 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

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The New Life Blueprint by Natalia Peart ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #TheNewLifeBlueprint #Nonfiction #NataliaPeart

The New Life Blueprint by Natalia Peart

A 21st-Century Guide for Success, Health, Wealth, and Happiness in a Complex World

Motivational Self-Help

Date Published: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Forbes Books

2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medalist in Self Help Success

Life is coming at us fast. It’s easier with a guide for life navigation.

About the Book:

The world has changed more in the last few years than in the previous fifty, rendering our traditional blueprints for life, work, and success outdated. Strategies that once promised a clear path to the American Dream, like pursuing a conventional education or climbing the company ladder, no longer guarantee continual progress toward our goals. Many of us find ourselves unprepared and uncertain, struggling to adapt to the accelerating pace of change. In this new era, the questions arise: what are the key drivers of success and sustainability? How can we navigate this complex world effectively?

The New Life Blueprint: A 21st Century Guide to Success, Health, Wealth, and Happiness in a Complex World by best-selling author Dr. Natalia Peart, with Christopher Burge, offers an insightful approach to navigating life more holistically and sustainably in our rapidly changing world.

Traditionally, success was a straightforward formula: get a degree, land a job, work hard, and enjoy the rewards. In The New Life Blueprint, Peart and Burge first examine the historical, contextual, and personal shifts that have made this old blueprint outdated. They make the case compellingly that this blueprint, which currently guides our educational, career, and life choices, was designed for a simpler, more predictable era but no longer applies in our new, more complex era.

They respond to this challenge by reinventing the old blueprint into a modern-era career, mental, financial, and lifestyle blueprint. Their new roadmap provides readers with the instructions and guidance they need to equip and prepare themselves to navigate their professional and personal lives, build resilience in constant uncertainty, and achieve the sustainable success, health, wealth, and happiness they seek.

Drawing on 14 disciplines, including neuroscience, economics, and performance psychology, as well as decades of experience as a psychologist, CEO, leadership and performance consultant, and Wall Street executive, the authors bring a wealth of knowledge to the table.

This book is not just about survival; it’s about flourishing in a world where change is the only constant. The New Life Blueprint not only captures the urgency and necessity for a redefined approach to living in a complex world but also provides a hopeful vision for thriving with confidence and clarity.

 

About the Author:

Dr. Natalia is a multi-hyphenate psychologist, entrepreneur, business and career consultant, best-selling author, speaker, and Forbes Contributor.

She is the Founder and CEO of Blueprint Global, a human-centered innovation and design consultancy dedicated to helping people and companies prepare, navigate, grow, and lead sustainably in a constantly changing world.

Dr. Natalia has more than 30 years of experience helping leaders and individuals obtain their professional and personal goals. Throughout her career, she’s worked as a clinical psychologist, a leadership and performance consultant for large national Fortune 1000 companies such as Gallup to small businesses, an executive and personal consultant, a Chief Officer of a foundation, and CEO of a nonprofit organization, and now as an entrepreneur.

Whether she is working at the individual, organizational, or societal level, the common thread throughout her experiences is that she is driven by a desire to solve our big challenges involving how to grow and lead, particularly through disruptive change.

She has served on the Federal Reserve Board, 10th District, was a SXSW 2021 presenter, and has been featured in various media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, New York Times, FOX, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, Oprah Magazine, Black Enterprise, Glassdoor, Elite Daily, and Thrive Global.

She has also spoken at events ranging from small group workshops to three-thousand-person events. She has earned her B.A. with Honors in Psychology from Brown University, her PhD. in Clinical/Community Psychology from the University of Maryland, and completed her Clinical Internship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Contact Links:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

 

Purchase Link:

Amazon

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Cover Reveal ~ Almost There by Jean Seager ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #AlmostThere #JeanSeager #HistoricalFiction

COVER REVEAL 

A Collection Inspired by True Stories of the Jewish Immigrant Experience

Historical Fiction

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

About the Book:

Almost There offers an intimate, emotionally resonant portrait of the Jewish immigrant experience in early twentieth-century America. This collection of linked short stories follows individuals who faced the uncertainty of a new land, summoned the courage to navigate unfamiliar cultures, and endured the antisemitism that shaped their world.

While fictionalized, these narratives were inspired by interviews with Americans who shared memories of their immigrant ancestors. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of sweeping historical events, such as the Great Depression, World War II, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel.

Poignant and powerful, Almost There illuminates a pivotal chapter in American history and speaks to the timeless search for belonging, identity, and home.

 

About the Author:

 

 Award-winning writer Jean Seager graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and received two graduate degrees from San Diego State University. Her writing has appeared in the

literary publications Mikrokosmos and The Long Story. In 2018, her story “The Award” won second place in the San Diego Public Library’s short story contest.

A granddaughter of Jewish immigrants who came to America from eastern Europe in the early twentieth century, Jean was fascinated by her mother’s stories of growing up as a second-generation immigrant in Tennessee’s tobacco country. The Jewish immigrant experience continued to intrigue her and became the catalyst for her writing.

Jean is a native Californian and long-time resident of Coronado, a suburb of San Diego, where she lives with her husband Bill.