Recipe For Murder by Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris
From Barbour’s website:
Pricilla never expected to be involved in a real life mystery, but that’s exactly where she finds herself when she joins her son at his hunting lodge in the beautiful Colorado mountains. A superb cook and articulate hostess, Priscilla plans an informal buffet for the guests at her son’s hunting lodge. But the dinner party turns to chaos when a guest is found dead after sampling one of her salmon-filled tartlets.
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This novel took place all within the span of a few days time. Priscilla Crumb is retired, with a lot of time on her hands. When Priscilla’s son’s (Nathan), chef becomes ill, Nathan calls his mother to temporarily fill the job. Nathan owns a hunting lodge, and he must keep his guests happy with home-cooked meals amidst their game-finding excursions.

However, once Pricilla makes her salmon tartlets, one of the guests eats one, and drops dead! Pricilla is determined to find the cause of death, and she sleuths her way through the story, questioning all of the guests as well as the dead man’s widow.

This book was charming as you see how stubborn Pricilla is as she strives to solve the mystery. Her old friend, Max, is a guest at the lodge, and he’s had a crush on Pricilla for awhile. Since both Max and Pricilla are widowed, they wonder if a romance can develop between them. Also another romance brews between Nathan, and Max’s daughter Trisha, who is also staying at the lodge.

There’s a sequel to this novel entitled Baker’s Fatal Dozen. I look forward to reading book #2 within this series.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

September 2008 Book Giveaway!

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I’m giving away the following novels this month. As usual, these novels are brand new or slightly used! Leave an email address when commenting if you are interested in entering the drawing!

John’s Quest by Cecelia Dowdy:

Here is the book summary from Heartsong Presents website:

It’s amazing how quickly life can change. Overnight, Monica Crawford finds her neatly organized world turned upside down. Her sister abandons her blind son, Scotty, leaving him on Monica’s doorstep. Caring for a handicapped child brings unexpected conflict-but unexpected joy as well. When John French volunteers to tutor Scotty, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Monica. But John and Monica are very different. She is a strong believer, determined to live her life for Christ. John is an agnostic who wants nothing to do with God.Will John see the light? Will Monica realize that sometimes letting go of a dream is the way to achieve it? Only in full surrender will either of them be happy- whether they end up together or alone.

The following two novels are Heartsong Presents titles. I’m giving them away as a set:

White As Snow by Janice A. Thompson

In Pursuit Of Peace by Jennifer Johnson

Unforgivable by Tina Wainscott – please note that this is a secular title

The following two novels are Heartsong Presents cozy mysteries. I’m giving them away as a set:

Gunfight At Grace Gulch by Darlene Franklin

A Suspicion Of Strawberries by Lynette Sowell

Farther Than I Meant To Go Longer Than I Meant To Stay by Tiffany L. Warren

Beach Dreams by Trish Perry

The Whitney Chronicles by Judy Baer

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down by Neta Jackson

FYI, I’m still waiting to hear back from two of the winners from my last drawing. If I don’t hear back from them by tomorrow, I will choose new recipients.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Some Of The Winners

The Quest by Nancy Moser

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The Quest by Nancy Moser
Paperback: 407 pages
Publisher: Multnomah Books (June 12, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1576734102
ISBN-13: 978-1576734100
From Amazon.com
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The Quest, book two in author Nancy Moser’s Mustard Seed series, is the continuing story of four ordinary people whose lives are forever changed after they are invited to the very supernatural town of Haven, Nebraska. The paths of Natalie, Walter, Kathy, Del, and Julia are once again joined in a quest of faith — and a battle against the forces determined to stop them — as they implement the decisions and direction they received in The Invitation and discover the meaning of Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” When the heat’s turned up and the enemy unleashes his greatest opposition, the Havenites learn that it’s not enough to know what’s right — one must, with God’s help, do what’s right. No matter what the cost.
About the Author
Nancy Moser is an inspirational speaker, college instructor, and well-published writer. Her books include the three titles in The Mustard Seed series, The Invitation, The Quest, and The Temptation. A musician, needlepoint enthusiast, and antique hunter, Nancy lives with her husband, Mark, in Kansas. The couple has three children.
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I purchased this book about a year ago at a local Labor Day Festival.

When I think of this novel, the words spiritual warfare come to mind. The cast of characters are being targeted by the enemy, and they must rely on their faith in God in order to overcome evil.

Natalie has given her little girl up for adoption, and she’s now living in a rooming house, however, when Beau, a handsome and charismatic man moves into the home, she finds her life suddenly spinning out of control. Beau claims he has her best interests at heart as he promises to help her fulfill her dreams of becoming a published author. However, Jack, another tenant in the house, has affections for Natalie, but doesn’t think he can compete with the attractive Beau. As the story deepens, Natalie realizes that Beau is not what he appears to be.

Walter is still coming to terms with being a new father. His advanced age make him doubt his parenting abilities, and he finds it hard to follow the path that God has set before him. He must learn that he needs to strengthen his faith, and rely on the Lord.

Clergyman Del is called to move to another parish. When a troubled church member cries out for help, he fails to stop the impending crises. He doubts his abilities as a clergyman and wonders what he can do to stop the evil from ruining the life of one of the Havenites.

Kathy believes her husband is dead. However, after Dr. Roy Bauer steps into her life, she finds her feelings for him begin to grow. Evidence soon surfaces that suggests that her husband may still be alive. A frightening series of events threaten Kathy’s life, as she discovers a secret about Roy’s past.

Julia is running for president, but will the enemy stop her from winning a seat in the Oval Office?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it immensely. I’d be interested in reading the other books in the Mustard Seed series.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Flower Of Grass

VACATION!

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I’m on vacation this week! I still plan on blogging if I feel like it!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Farther Than I Meant To Go Longer Than I Meant To Stay

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Farther Than I Meant To Go Longer Than I Meant To Stay
By Tiffany L. Warren
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Walk Worthy Press (October 16, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446693537
ISBN-13: 978-0446693530
From the back cover:
She’s independent, successful, and fulfilled in her spiritual walk. But bank president Charmayne Ellis is also overweight, close-to-forty…and wondering if she will ever be as successful in her personal life. She’s never gotten much praise or caring from her ever-critical mother and sister. And her friends are more into matchmaking than being truly supportive. So it seems her prayers are answered when hardworking, saved, and just-too-fine Travis Moon asks Charmayne to marry him. Or are they? Charmayne soon finds the only thing her new husband has to share is one bad-news secret after another. Now, with her reputation and career destroyed and her life at rock bottom, her faith will be tested as never before. Her challenge will be to face her own willful heart—and find the courage to finally put herself in God’s hands and discover where her real blessings lie.
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Charmayne is a successful bank president who’s financially-sound and active in her church. However, her life is just missing one thing…a man! Her thin attractive sister and her best friend are both married and Charmayne wonders if she’s doomed to spend the rest of her days alone. Overweight, she has not had many relationships with men, and she doesn’t see many male prospects on her horizon.
However, when handyman Travis Moon steps into her office to fix her chair, she finds herself swooning over the attractive repairman. He sweeps her off her feet in a whirlwind courtship, and she soon finds herself falling in love with her smooth-talking love interest. As she gets to know Travis, she’s shocked as he reveals one surprise after another, and Charmayne realizes she barely knows anything about the man she’s become involved with. As she loses her job and her sanity, she calls upon God for answers to her seemingly unending plight with Travis Moon.
This book dealt with some serious issues. However, it also had pockets of humor interspersed throughout the story. Sometimes, when your life seems hopeless, and you’ve lost everything, you wonder why God has allowed you to sink to a certain point. This book shows how these sinking points will show us how we need to call upon God as he pushes us into an even higher place. I’d recommend this read to all who enjoy a funny, inspirational, and fantastic story.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Suspicion Of Strawberries

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A Suspicion Of Strawberries by Lynette Sowell
Mass Market Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597895237
ISBN-13: 978-1597895231
From the backcover:
When Charla Rae Thacker and her bridesmaids show up at Andi’s soap shop in Greenburg, Tennessee, for a morning of pre-wedding pampering, Andi bends over backwards to make it a pleasant experience for them all. But then Charla keels over and dies from anaphylactic shock after she uses Andi’s personally blended cherries jubilee facial scrub. Andi suspects sabotage and murder when she discovers strawberries – a lethal allergen for Charla – in the scrub. Now, Andi must save her business and her reputation.

As if she doesn’t have enough stress in her life, Andi’s long-time boyfriend, Ben Hartley, a long-haul truck driver, decides now is the time to settle down. With him out on the road, it’s been easy for Andi to keep him at arm’s length. What’s a woman to do when she’s tracking down a murderer and expected to help her man pick out his new house plans all at the same time?
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Andi has had a hard time choosing a career path for herself over the years. Now that she’s in her mid-thirties, she’s opened a soap shop that’s barely keeping itself afloat. However, after Charla Rae Thacker dies right after using the specially designed cherries jubilee facial scrub that Andi has created, Andi is worried about the young woman’s sudden death as well as the solvency of her business in this small town. When the police fail to take Andi’s concerns of sabotage to her cherries jubilee facial scrub seriously, she decides to solve the crime herself.

Her long-time boyfriend, Ben, urges her to mind her own business, but he finds himself offering her some assistance as she struggles to solve the crime on her own. However, finding Charla’s murderer is not the only thing on Ben’s mind. He wants to find a job in town, give up his life as a trucker, and buy a house so that he can settle down and ask Andi to be his wife. Andi has cold feet, and she’s unsure of committing herself to her long-term beau.

As the story unfolds, Andi finally convinces the police that there is truth to her allegations. You’ll enjoy this story as you see how this mystery is solved.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Mall Of America Booksigning

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Join me, as well as several other authors at a HUGE signing at the Mall of America!

ACFW booksigning
127 Christian novelists
Location: Best Buy and Sears Rotundas and connecting hallway, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
When: Saturday, September 20, 2008
1-3 p.m.
Participating Authors:
Tamera Alexander

Jennifer AlLee

A.K. Arenz

Diane Ashley

Karen Ball

Janet Lee Barton

James Scott Bell

Joseph Bentz

Terri Blackstock

Robin Caroll

Patricia PacJac Carroll

Jeanie Smith Cash

Eleanor Clark

Debra Clopton

Gloria Clover

Brandilyn Collins

Mary Connealy

Lyn Cote

Kathryn Cushman

Margaret Daley

KM Daughters

Susan Page Davis

Mary Davis

Janet Dean

Megan DiMaria

Brandt Dodson

Lena Nelson Dooley

Cecelia Dowdy

Sharon Dunn

Wanda Dyson

Lynette Eason

Meredith Efken

Leanna Ellis

Sharon Ewell Foster

Miralee Ferrell

Tina Ann Forkner

Darlene Franklin

Jonathan Friesen

Rhonda Gibson

Terri Gillespie

Debby Giusti

Beth Goddard

Cathy Gohlke

Rene Gutteridge

Cathy Marie Hake

Kelly Eileen Hake

Karen Harter

Rachel Hauck

Roxanne Henke

Cynthia Hickey

Patti Hill

Sharon Hinck

Joan Hochstetler

Steven Hunt

Angela Hunt

Denise Hunter

Annette Irby

Jennifer Johnson

Jenny B. Jones

Golden Keyes Parsons

Deb Kinnard

Julie Klassen

Kathleen Kovach

Harry Kraus

Patti Lacy

Maureen Lang

Jeanne Marie Leach

Tosca Lee

Julie Lessman

Michelle Levigne

Sherri L. Lewis

Elizabeth Ludwig

Christine Lynxwiler

Richard L. Mabry

Sharlene MacLaren

Gail Martin

Debby Mayne

Vickie McDonough

Andrew McGuire

Susan Meissner

Becky Melby

Dana Mentink

Amber Miller

Judith Miller

Sara Mills

Siri Mitchell

Nancy Moser

Janelle Mowery

Elizabeth Musser

Mark Mynheir

Jill Nelson

Mae Nunn

John Olson

Donita K. Paul

Trish Perry

Marta Perry

Allie Pleiter

Cara Putman

Deborah Raney

Sandra Robbins

Paul Robertson

John Robinson

Martha Rogers

Cynthia Ruchti

Gail Sattler

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Shelley Shephard Gray

Virginia Smith

Lynette Sowell

Candice Speare

Kathryn Springer

Denice Stewart

Sarah Anne Sumpolec

Michelle Sutton

Camy Tang

Donn Taylor

Janice Thompson

Cindy Thomson

Missy Tippens

Carrie Turansky

ML Tyndall

Amy Wallace

Susan May Warren

Linda Wichman

Beth Wiseman

Cheryl Wyatt

Kathleen Y’Barbo

Show up and support your favorite authors!

~Cecelia Dowdy~