#COOKING WITH CLORIS -- MYSTERY AUTHOR AMY M. READE'S NEWEST MYSTERY AND MAPLE CRÈME BRÛLÉE RECIPE

Amy M. Reade is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of cozy, historical, and Gothic mysteries. She loves to read, cook, and travel. Learn more about Amy and her books at her website. more about Amy and her books at her website where you can also sign up for her newsletter and gain access to The Secret Room on her website where you’ll find . Everyone who signs up for the newsletter gains access to The Secret Room on Amy’s website, where they’ll find a free cookbook of family favorites and lots of other fun and free stuff. 

I love to eat. 

 

This is quite possibly the reason one of the secondary characters in my Juniper Junction Cozy Holiday Mystery Series is a chef. I didn’t make her the main character because there are so many really good culinary cozies out there, but I couldn’t bring myself to write a cozy series that didn’t include food in some way. 

 

The main character of the series is Lilly Carlsen. Noley, my chef, is Lilly’s best friend and begins the series as honorary aunt to Lilly’s children (you’ll have to read the books if you want to know why she’s no longer the kids’ honorary aunt). It’s because of Noley’s influence in her young life that Lilly’s daughter Laurel is enrolled in a culinary arts program and in my newest release, Fowl Play, is poised to take her studies even further.

 

With so many cooks in the kitchen, it’s no wonder that the characters in my series eat well. And far be it from me to tempt readers with descriptions of meals without providing at least a few recipes in the back of every book. 

 

While I’m writing each book, I make a list of all the foods I mention. When it comes time to write the recipes in the back, I have a process that I go through to choose the best recipes to share.

 

First, they have to be easy to make. Second, the ingredients have to be readily available. And third, they have to be something I’ve tried and liked. 

 

Even after I’ve taken certain recipes out of the running because they don’t meet my requirements, I’m usually still left with a list of good recipes to share, and since I only share three recipes in each Juniper Junction book, I usually end up choosing them by picking out of a hat. 

 

What do I do with the ones I don’t use? Well, that’s a good question. So far, nothing. 

 

And that’s where you come in.

 

What do you think I should do? I could put the occasional recipe in my newsletter, or I could bundle them into a cookbook to give away to readers, or I could print them on notecards that I give away at signing events, or...what? I’d love to hear your ideas. You could let me know in the comments section below, or you could email or DM me on social media through my website. 

 

You knew I couldn’t let this post end without sharing a recipe, didn’t you? Interestingly, this one isn’t mentioned in any of my Juniper Junction books—it’s just one I love and it’s perfect for fall.

 

Maple Crème Brûlée

2 c. heavy cream

1 vanilla bean*

4 large egg yolks

6 T. maple syrup

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (you can substitute maple extract)

4 tsp. white, brown, or demerara sugar

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

 

Place the heavy cream in a medium saucepan.

 

Set vanilla bean on a flat surface and, using a sharp knife, open the bean by slicing it the long way (lengthwise). Try not to cut all the way through the bean—you only want to cut the top. If you do cut through it’s no big deal, but it’s easier if you don’t.

 

Using your fingers, gently pull apart the sides of the bean as much as you can so it lies open. Using the knife’s edge, run the knife down the length of the bean to scrape out as many of the seeds as possible. This whole process is much easier than it sounds! If you want a demo, click here.

 

Add the seeds to the heavy cream. It works best to put the knife in there and stir it around to get the seeds off. Then add the vanilla bean to the saucepan, too.

 

Bring the heavy cream and the vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer over medium-high heat. This doesn’t take long, so keep an eye on it. Don’t let it boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean pod.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the warm heavy cream to the egg mixture, one-half cup at a time, whisking well between each addition. Strain through a sieve into another bowl.

 

Place four 6-ounce ramekins in a roasting pan or 13x9” baking dish. Divide custard evenly among ramekins. CAREFULLY pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with foil and CAREFULLY transfer it to the oven.

 

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and allow to come to room temperature, then chill them for 2-8 hours. 

 

When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the white, brown, or demerara sugar over the top of each custard. Using a kitchen blow torch, which is about the coolest thing I have in my kitchen, caramelize the sugar (this only takes about 10 seconds). If you don’t have a kitchen blow torch, putting the custards under the broiler for a couple minutes does the same job (it’s just not nearly as much fun). Allow the sugar to harden for about 5 minutes. Serve and wait for your guests to swoon. 

 

Fowl Play

A Juniper Junction Cozy Holiday Mystery, Book 6

 

Lilly Carlsen hates the idea of anyone spending Thanksgiving alone, so she invites four near-strangers to the feast. But if she’d known two of her guests would later wind up murdered, she would have eaten dinner by herself with all the shades pulled down.

 

And if she had dreamed she would become a suspect after finding the first body, she might have skipped Thanksgiving altogether.

 

When the first murder occurs, it’s Lilly who finds the body, and the suspicions of the officer in charge of the case fall squarely on her shoulders. And just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, there’s another murder, this one much closer to home.

 

Lilly’s got a lot on her plate.

 

There’s plenty of motive to go around this Thanksgiving, and if Lilly can’t clear her name and figure out who’s responsible for the murders, she risks spending the holidays behind bars … or worse.

 

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AUTHOR DONNELL ANN BELL ON SUSPENSE, SMOOTHIES, CAULIFLOWER AND THE D-WORD

Award-winning and Amazon multi-bestselling author Donnell Ann Bell gave up her nonfiction career in newspapers and magazines when she became obsessed with writing a mystery or thriller. Her obsession paid off. She’s now the author of four romantic suspense/thrillers and two suspense novels. Her current book, Until Dead: a Cold Case Suspense, is the second book in her Cold Case Suspense series, following Black Pearl. Learn more about Donnell and her books and find links to her other social media at her website. 

Is Sixty the New Forty?

All right. I’m almost sixty-five (and recently signed up for Medicare) but who wants that in a headline? This blog all started when our esteemed host texted me with a reminder that I had an article due for October 12 to coincide with a recipe I’d provided Lois months ago. I’ve been up to my eyelashes in personal business, so her reminder was greatly appreciated. 

 

As it turns out, Lois and my texts often result in a phone call. We simply have too much to say in our texts, our hands start cramping, and cellular data adds up!

 

Our conversations never stay on topic, and this morning was no different. We talked about the Florida hurricane, Lois’s recent trip, and it never fails, we always, always lament about diet.

 

My brother once said to me, “It takes very little to keep us alive.” I assume he was talking about food. Oxygen and H2O are givens.  Lois and I often compare notes because we’ve discovered my brother was SO right! 

 

We can be quite disciplined (at times). We’ve tried two nutritional shakes and one meal and have had some success with that. Lois was having trouble finding one of her favorite shakes, so I sent her a picture of my latest attempt—turns out it was given to me by the same woman who provided the spicy cauliflower recipe (and she’s lost 40 pounds at this writing.)  So, not only are you getting a side dish I find quite tasty, but you’re getting a smoothie recipe, I think is delicious (and filling) as well.

 

Back to the headline, I may be approaching sixty-five. But thanks to the diets and exercise regimens we’ve enacted over the years, I told Lois I don’t feel sixty-five. She was quick to quip back, “Well, sixty-five is the new forty-five.” 

 

Works for me, and I like her attitude, don’t you?

 

As one of Lois’s least crafty friends, please forgive my lack of a craft project here. I’m always astounded at the creativity of others, however, so keep up the good work!  Without further ado, here are two recipes that might help the waistline and curb some cravings.

 

Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup strawberries (or your favorite fruit) 

1/2 container of Oikos yogurt (look for the 0 0 0 and black wrapping, which means no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and no fat)

1/2 the bottle of Fairlife Nutrition Plan.  I purchased the chocolate. At 150 calories and 30 grams of protein, this is good all by itself.)

 

Throw in crushed ice, blend the above ingredients, and you have a tasty treat that doesn’t taste like it belongs near the word DIET.

 

Now we all know that people can’t live on smoothies alone, so here is a side dish recipe I absolutely love. Yes, I know there are carbohydrates in corn, but the cauliflower and picante sauce have limited calories, and it’s so easy to prepare!

 

Cauliflower, Corn, & Picante Medley

Ingredients:

1 bag Frozen cauliflower rice 

1 small can or frozen corn (use as much or as little as you like – I’m all about the crunch)

1/4 cup picante sauce

 

Cook veggie rice on stove top, combine corn and picante sauce and you’re done. I think it takes less than ten minutes or so. Serve as a side dish, or I make a batch to munch on when writing. 

 

I hope if you try these, you’ll let me know how you like them. As I close, I have to ask: Do you feel your age, and are you doing your best to thwart Father Time?

 

Until Dead

A Cold Case Suspense, Book 2

 

This killer won’t stop …until she’s dead

 

When Lt. Everett T. Pope is notified of an explosion in downtown Denver close to the judicial buildings, his first instinct is gas leak. No such luck. As Incident Command and Pope’s own Major Crimes unit move in, he discovers he knows the intended victims—an Assistant U. S. Attorney—and Pope’s former partner, now a private investigator, has died shielding the injured AUSA with his body.

 

As ATF and the FBI take over investigating the bombing and unraveling motives behind the murder attempt, Pope is relegated to a peripheral role. But the injured AUSA’s aunt is a United States senator used to getting results. She turns to the team that solved the Black Pearl Killer murders with a very big ask—find her answers and locate the bomber.

 

FBI Special Agent Brian DiPietro must recall his entire cold case team from their far-flung assignments knowing he’s being asked to do the impossible. The senator, however, doesn’t know the meaning of the word. All too soon, DiPietro finds his team working alongside ATF on a red-hot mission. One that uncovers a decades’ old cold case.

 

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AN INTERVIEW WITH PAULINE MERTENS FROM CHRISTINE DeSMET'S FUDGE SHOP MYSTERIES

Today we sit down for a chat with Pauline Mertens from author Christine DeSmet’s Fudge Shop Mystery Series. 

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I’m Ava Oosterling’s best friend. Before I met Ava in grade school, I was confused and sad, sometimes terrified of the night because I lived in a dysfunctional home. My dad drank too much, and my family suffered from that, so I often stayed overnight with Ava and her family on their farm in Door County, Wisconsin.

 

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I’ve learned to trust my own heart and the commonsense wisdom that comes with that. 

 

What do you like least about yourself?

I wish I were bolder, more like Ava. Ava leaps into trouble a lot, but I envy her bravery. I’m about to get married in our novel called Holly Jolly Fudge Folly, but I’m scared I may not have the mettle marriage takes. My parents’ failed marriage haunts me. I haven’t been brave enough to confess that to Ava. 

 

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

Ava led me into a creepy basement in an historic, old church looking for a secret recipe that may have been written by a real-life nun in the 1800s. She also got me mixed up with a killer who left us tied up in the middle of a fire. Ava called that autumn adventure Five-Alarm Fudge. 

 

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

I argue to make Ava more cautious and less dangerously impulsive. The author has explained, though, that Ava had an easier life than I did. She was an only child on a beautiful farm with two loving parents and doting grandparents who let her do anything she wanted. Life was sweet as the fudge and candies she now makes in her shop. Ava goes into trouble thinking somebody will always rescue her, but that doesn’t always happen. 

 

What is your greatest fear?

By marrying John this December, I might not have enough time for my best friend Ava, my mother, and my sister. I haven’t seen my sister Lucie in person for a few years. I hope the wedding can be a new start for us all, even for Ava—who confessed she’s planning a big change in her life. 

 

What makes you happy?

Having fun with Ava. She’s pretty hilarious. She gets me into crazy adventures that are entertaining to the max when they’re not life-threatening. Ava and I love fast cars.

 

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

Certainly, my childhood. I always dreamed of having a perfect family and having lots of toys and dresses and opportunities. I’m making up for my childhood with my lavish Victorian-style wedding. Ava hates her red-velveteen maid-of-honor dress, but my girlfriend will wear it anyway because she realizes why I need to be extravagant.

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

Mercy Fogg. She’s our snowplow driver and school bus driver but she was once our village president. Mercy has a vendetta against Ava because Ava and her grandpa wouldn’t give up the last old building on the harbor. Mercy wanted to turn our harbor into private condos. Ava and Grandpa kept the old fishing shack and turned it into the fudge shop and saved the historic harbor area. Mercy is still trying to get rid of our history.  

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

Grandpa Gil Oosterling! He embraces being an adult very well and says what he wants without a filter. I can’t do that because I’m the local kindergarten teacher. Grandpa Gil has always been my grandpa, too, because I lived with the Oosterlings. 

 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Christine DeSmet was raised on a Wisconsin farm and brings that know-how to the background of Ava and the Oosterling family. Christine writes the Fudge Shop Mystery Series and the Mischief in Moonstone romantic-mystery novella series, both set in Wisconsin. All her mystery writing contains humor, shenanigans, and warmth. Check out Christine’s website where you can learn more about her and her books and also find links to her other social media sites. 

 

What's next for you?

After my Christmastime wedding, I’m moving into a beautiful big house on a horse ranch outside Fishers’ Harbor, Wisconsin that my fiancé bought. I’m pinching myself to make sure it’s real. I’m also scared this change in my life may affect my relationship with Ava Oosterling. Stay tuned.

 

Five-Alarm Fudge

A Fudge Shop Mystery, Book 3

 

It’s autumn in Fishers’ Harbor, Wisconsin, and fudge shop owner Ava Oosterling is busy preparing for the harvest festival and a visit from some royal relatives who live in Belgium. According to Ava’s grandpa, a famous divinity fudge recipe from the 1860s is hidden somewhere in a local historical church—a treat fit for a prince.

 

But when a fire in the church reveals the body of a murdered man, it looks like someone is willing to go to any length to possess the valuable secret to the divinity fudge. As Ava searches for the killer—and the recipe—she could use a little divine intervention, because she may have bitten off more than she can chew…

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR SUSAN OLEKSIW TALKS ABOUT TITLES AND INDIAN DIETIES

Susan Oleksiw has lived in India and returned often for short visits. The Anita Ray series is set in a part of South India she knows well, Southern Kerala. She also writes the Mellingham series, set in a small town on the New England coast and featuring Chief of Police Joe Silva. Susan co-founded Crime Spell Books, which publishes the annual anthology of Best New England Crime Stories. Bloodroot appeared in 2021, and Deadly Nightshade will be published in November 2022. Learn more about Susan and her books at her website. 

 

In Sita's Shadow

Anyone who gets involved with India, on any level, cannot fail to recognize the vastness and richness of its culture. There are so many ways to discover this land, and so many worlds within it to learn about. When I began crafting a novel set in India, I struggled to find a focus. It took a while, several false starts and dead-ends, but at last, the pieces came together. Anita Ray is an Indian American photographer living in South India at her aunt's tourist hotel on the rocky coast of Kerala. Foreigners look out over a beach where guests swim and fishermen work their nets.

 

To give the series more cohesion I wanted a recurring format for the titles. Each entry in the Anita Ray series revolves around an aspect of a particular deity. This seemed the best way to tighten the focus on parts of the complex culture of this ancient civilization. 

 

Picking the deity of the title is a big part of the fun of the series. I may have an idea for a story line, but the particular image I choose becomes a heavy influence. Kali, the goddess of diseases and destruction, can be frightening, but as her younger prettier self, she can be enchanting. Her terrifying side, along with various rituals she participates in, seemed the perfect choice for the first book, Under the Eye of Kali. 

 

For some time I wanted to write about how traditional cultures have practiced conservation long before it became fashionable or necessary, and after a stay at a traditional home in central Kerala, I found my vehicle. The kaavu is a plot of land set aside by the homeowner for the deity that no one may enter. An image of the presiding deity sits on the boundary and is honored daily. The home where I stayed had a kaavu presided over by Bhairava, a manifestation of a fierce Shiva. From that came the title for the second book, The Wrath of Shiva. Parvati is well known as the consort of the deity Shiva and seemed a good choice for a story about marriage. For the Love of Parvati takes Anita and Auntie Meena into the mountains during the monsoon to visit relatives.

 

Indian names, terms, and general vocabulary are spreading throughout the English-speaking world, so when I settled on Krishna, the god of love, as the next deity to appear in a title, I wasn't worried about who would recognize it. When Krishna Calls is all about what we will do for love, how far we will go to protect those we care about. While cruelty threads its way through the narrative, pinching the heart of a business woman and curdling the life of a young boy, the devotion of a mother redeems them all.

 

The fifth entry, In Sita's Shadow, calls on the story of Sita to set the stage and direct the narrative. In India, everyone knows the name Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, both king and deity. She is the epitome of the virtuous woman and perfect wife, loyal and devoted and honorable. When her husband is exiled to the forest, the result of jealousy by another member of the royal family, Sita dutifully goes with him. She's kidnapped, rescued, and restored to her lord, who is also restored to the throne. When rumors spread that maybe she wasn't so virtuous when she was alone with her abductor, she calls on the earth to testify to her purity, and the earth does so. Indians revere her, but she's a tough act to follow.

 

In Sita’s Shadow

An Anita Ray Mystery, Book 5

 

Hotel Delite, perched on the rocky coast of South India, has welcomed all sorts of tours. Every one of them has been touched by the beauty of the milky moon rising over the Arabian Sea and glowing over palm trees and clean white beaches. But one group of Americans seems immune to the setting, and very odd in other ways.

 

Angela Deetcher, a renowned scientist, is a dour creature and seems intent on maintaining an extreme skepticism of everything she sees. Sandra Stover is laconic to the point of muteness, though she is always beautifully coiffed and attired. Larry Forche has eyes for no one else but Sandra and is undeterred by her coolness toward him. Crocker Dawes seems to be the only one pleased to be in India, but no one sees him after he checks in. He disappears the first morning, and the only one who knows he has been in and out of the hotel is the maidservant who cleans his room. But at least the tour leader, Kenneth Maxinter, seems normal. Enthusiastic and gregarious, he encourages his charges to see everything and presides over meals with energy that is exhausting.

 

When one member of the tour is found dead, Anita and Auntie Meena prepare to tell the other members and cope with their reactions. But the tour members don’t react. They are quiet, still, and nod, offering little more than perfunctory acknowledgments. At least until Anita tells them who the corpse is—Kenneth Maxinter. They insist she must be mistaken.

 

Tourists have many reasons for coming to India, but as Anita explores the oddities of this particular tour group, she learns of other reasons she had never before considered.

 

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COZY AUTUMN BOOK PARTY WITH GIVEAWAYS

Some of you may be aware that my author Lois Winston is one of the bloggers at Booklover's Bench. The Benchers are holding a party with lots of giveaways this evening over on Facebook, and although Lois isn't on Facebook, she's vicariously taking part in the festivities by offering two copies of A Stitch to Die For, the fifth Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. Why that book? Given the theme of the party, the cover says it all. The fun begins at 7pm EST. Stop by tonight for a chance to win one of the books about me or any of the other books by the Booklover's Bench authors.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THRILLER AUTHOR JEFFREY JAMES HIGGINS

Today we sit down for a chat with thriller author Jeffrey James Higgins. Learn more about him and his books at his website. 

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

I’ve wanted to write novels since my parents read me bedtime stories. My grandfather, Nejm Aswad, was an author and philosopher, so maybe it’s in my blood. I’ve always found comfort in stories, in all forms. I’ve considered myself a writer all my life.

 

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

I started writing fiction when I was six years old. Hopefully, my craft has improved since then. My undergraduate degree was in journalism, and I worked as a reporter after college, then I pivoted into 25 years of law enforcement. I retired in 2017 and became a full-time author. Since then, I’ve published dozens of essays and stories, and my first novel, Furious: Sailing into Terror, came out in 2021.

 

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

I’ve traditionally published two novels, both with Black Rose Writing, but I’ve also self-published a novella, so I guess I’m technically a hybrid author. I see risks and benefits to both paths, but I’m searching for a new literary agent to continue pursuing the traditional route. The only way to generate a decent income from writing is to have a breakout novel, and the best chance of doing that is through traditional publishing. At least that’s my strategy.

 

Where do you write?

I do most of my writing on a Mac in my home office, but I also dictate when I go for daily walks. It takes me three hours of typing at my desk to reach my 2,000-word daily goal, but I can hit that number in an hour when I’m dictating. I recommend Dragon software for dictation.

 

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

I prefer to write while listening to music. I’ve become a big fan of Spotify albums and playlists that allow me to capture the mood of whatever I’m writing. Some of my favorite albums and playlists are Jaws, Iconic Soundtracks, The Shining, Game of Thrones, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Thriller Reading, The Conjuring, and The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music.

 

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

My characters are fictional, but I set them in the real world, so I use actual places and often incorporate world events. Unseen deals with a real-life terrorist conspiracy. I’m currently working on The Havana Syndrome, a techno thriller that deals with the real-world attacks on diplomats around the world. I read a CIA report in January that characterized the attacks as anomalous health incidents. I knew that was untrue, so I decided to write a novel that could explain their report. I also use my experience as a cop and agent to bring realism to my fictional plots and character. I chased terrorists around the world and was in combat, so I write realistic scenes.

 

Describe your process for naming your character?

Character names are important to me, and I love the process of naming them. I’m drawn to antiquated names. Here’s a list of my protagonists in my novels: Dagny Steel, Malachi Wolf, Emily Miller, Adam Locke, Samantha North, Nathan Burke, and Mattie Brown. The names must capture the essence of the character. I determine the age and ethnicity of my character first, then I research popular names from their year of birth. Here’s a good resource: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/

 

Real settings or fictional towns?

I use real settings for my stories, because I enjoy learning about different locales when I read a novel. Even if I’m already familiar with a location, it’s fun to read a fictional story in a place I know. If something awful happens in a private setting, like a restaurant, I usually create a fictional business, so I don’t put a real person’s business in a bad light. I always use real government agencies and departments.

 

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

All my characters have unique personalities with distinct attributes, challenges, and interests. My unpublished murder mystery, Shaking, just won the Claymore Award. In that manuscript, my protagonist, Emily Miller, has bipolar disorder. It’s a disease and not a quirk, but it’s a serious condition that impacts her character and her journey through the story. In Unseen, Malachi Wolf has multiple sclerosis. People deal with health challenges all the time, so I try to humanize my characters by giving them conditions that inhibit their ability to achieve their goals. Overcoming adversity is a theme in all my novels.

 

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

The last time you interviewed me, I told you my wife calls me Mr. Monk because I have a little OCD. This time I’ll mention my health condition, alopecia universalis. I’m completely hairless, which is kind of a blessing, because I’m always ten degrees cooler than everyone around me. I gave the condition to my antagonist in Unseen.

 

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

Books like Treasure Island made me want to be a writer. As a young boy, I was enthralled by the James Bond novels, and I remember my excitement waiting for each new Tom Clancy novel to come out. I’d love to write something energized readers the way Fleming and Clancy did for me. 

 

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

I’ve been fortunate not to have too many regrets. I’ve always attempted to do what interested me and make the most out of life. I started as a reporter, worked as a cop and federal agent, and now I’m an author. One thing I would do differently would be to continue writing while I was in law enforcement.

 

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Here are my big five:

1)    People who express uneducated opinions instead researching issues first.

2)    Disorganization and clutter.

3)    Laziness in all its forms.

4)    Dealing with bureaucracy.

5)    People who talk in movie theaters.

 

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

Can I ask for a sailing yacht and a shortwave radio? After satisfying the hierarchy of needs, I’d want companionship, then an unending supply of books. 

 

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

I’ve been working since I started mowing lawns around age 12, so I’ve had plenty of bad jobs. One summer during college, I was a caretaker at cemeteries in Harvard, MA. Graves dated back to the 1600s, but one cemetery was active. It made for some creepy days.

 

Who’s your all-time favorite literary character (any genre)? Why?

That’s a difficult question for a lifelong reader, so I’ll cheat and give you several. Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Jack Ryan, John Corey, Harry Bosch, Mark Watney, and Adrian Monk. I like distinctive characters who use their minds to achieve their goals.

 

Ocean or mountains?

I love hiking in the mountains, but I’d choose the ocean first every time. My ancestors were seafarers on both sides of my family, and I have the ocean in my genes. I’m drawn to the water, which is why I always live near it.

 

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

I grew up in a wooded town outside of Boston, which is probably why I’ve lived in cities my entire adult life. I’m at home in a condo, where I can hear traffic, people, and the sounds of life. Cities are vibrant, and they stimulate my creativity.

 

What’s on the horizon for you?

I split with my agent in May, and I’m actively seeking new literary representation. I have one nonfiction manuscript and three fiction manuscripts ready to go. I’m editing the fourth right now, so I hope to have multiple books published in 2023. 

 

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

National Geographic’s Narco Wars just aired an episode about my journey from 9/11 to hunting the world’s most prolific narco-terrorist. “Chasing the Dragon: Narco Jihad” is available on Hulu. https://www.hulu.com/series/narco-wars-c465c738-371b-4ef6-8fac-c0c469d9e9b0

 

I write in a variety of thriller sub-genres. I’ve written psychological suspense, techno, military, murder, and crime. The only thing they have in common is a fast pace and plenty of tension. I hope readers sign up for my newsletter and try my writing. https://jeffreyjameshiggins.com

 

Unseen: Evil Lurks Among Us

Rookie Homicide Detective Malachi Wolf investigates a string of murders in Washington, DC and uncovers both a vigilante killer and a terrorist conspiracy—making himself a target. It’s Dexter meets Homeland. 

 

After his father’s murder, Malachi abandoned his economics doctorate to become a police officer and protect the innocent. Now, he must solve his first homicide to prove himself worthy of the badge. 

 

Austin grew up in a strict religious home, with an abusive father who taught him to solve problems with violence, so when Austin’s his girlfriend is murdered by an Islamist infiltrator, he seeks revenge. 

 

The body count grows as Malachi hunts a brutal assassin and unearths a sinister scheme that threatens the country. The former academic seeking justice and a vigilante set on revenge travel on a collision course—two men fighting evil by different means. Can Malachi stop the murders and expose the plot before the streets run with blood?

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR JANE GORMAN ON COCKTAIL GARDENS AND CAPE MAY MURDER

The Author's Cocktail Garden

Jane Gorman is the author of the Cape May Cozy Mysteries with a Twist series and the Adam Kaminski Mystery Series. Formerly an anthropologist, then a diplomat, then a park ranger, she has settled down and now calls New Jersey home. Learn more about Jane and her books at her website. 

Growing a Cocktail Garden

Have you ever put your hand to something that seemed like it should be right up your alley, only to find that it was a lot harder than it looked? I have.

 

I spent a few years sweating over a vegetable garden. My tomatoes do great (I live in New Jersey, so that’s a given!), but everything else I grew seemed unhappy. It could have been the soil. Or the sunlight. Or the drainage. But it also could have been insufficient effort on my part. Gardening isn’t easy, is it? 

 

Then two years ago, I came across a book that seemed like it was written just for me. Have you ever encountered a book like that? I know it sounds like it should be a philosophy tome or something just as serious. But no, for me it was a book about cocktail gardens. 

 

Yep, cocktail gardens! Did you know there was a such a thing? I didn’t, though it seems kind of obvious now. 

 

A cocktail garden makes a lot of sense for me, because I write the Cape May Cozy Mysteries with a Twist series. That means that when I sit down to write about Cape May, I’m also writing about cocktails. Each of my books involves a classic cocktail – including the recipe and a bit of the drink’s history. So far, I’ve written about the Scofflaw, the Bee’s Knees, and the Kir Royale. This means I spend a lot of time reading about cocktails, learning about liquors, and, obviously, tasting them. 

 

Last year, for the first time, I planted only herbs, and only those that I regularly use in cocktails or that I wanted to use but could never get my hands on. I got to try new recipes made with each of the herbs I grew. I made lavender bitters and lavender simple syrup. I muddled scented geranium into gin and made mojitos with fresh mint. 

 

Not all my plants grew. There are two I still have hopes for next year since they’re perennials. Others I’m going to replace with new herbs, to create new recipes. I’m using my time this fall to make plans for next year: getting ready to plant seeds indoors when appropriate, making sure the bed is cleared out and the soil refreshed, and going through my cocktail recipe books to figure out what I want to try new next year. 

 

I haven’t told anyone else this yet, but next on my list is the Hot Toddy! It’s a perfect drink for a cold fall or winter’s day, made with whiskey, honey, lemon and a variety of spices. I’ve been trying out a few variations while working on my next book: Heroes and Hot Toddies. 

 

Thanks for allowing me a few minutes of your time as a guest on this blog. I love sharing my thoughts about my writing and my interests, and if I’ve given you any ideas, even better! With winter coming, I’m looking ahead to a few short, dark, cold months in my part of the world, but thanks to the Jersey shore and my cocktail garden, I have so many fun plans to make! 

 

Scones and Scofflaws

A Cape May Cozy Mystery with a Twist, Book 1

 

Her scones might be killer, but someone else was responsible for this murder. Now Anna must rely on the town’s gossip mill and her anthropology background to catch the real killer.

 

It all seemed so simple: fix up the Cape May Victorian mansion she’d inherited from Great Aunt Louise and re-open it as the exceptional B&B it used to be. Everything’s going great, until her very first guest turns up dead at the breakfast table, crumbs from Anna’s blueberry scones scattered on the lace tablecloth. As the town’s gossips go into overdrive, Anna leaps into the fray to save her reputation, her business and Great Aunt Louise’s legacy.

 

With help from a handsome handyman eager to solve all of Anna’s problems and a young police officer new to murder investigations, Anna does her best to find the real killer and convince the town – and her future guests – that staying at her B&B doesn’t have to be deadly.

 

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