CANR
WORK TITLE: The Grim Steeper
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.sierradean.com/
CITY:
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COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
AVOCATIONS:Knitting.
MEMBER:International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada.
WRITINGS
Also author of series e-novellas and e-stories.
SIDELIGHTS
[open new]A prolific Canadian author of fiction in the urban fantasy, romance, mystery, and thriller genres, Sierra Dean has written under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms Gretchen Rue and Kate Wiley. She was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where cold winters and buggy summers did not prevent her from becoming a “prairie girl” through and through. She first gained popularity with her “Secret McQueen” urban fantasy series, about a young woman who was abandoned by her werewolf mother as a baby but recruited as a teen by New York City’s vampire council to serve as an ace bounty hunter.
Dean opened her “Boys of Summer” sports series with Pitch Perfect, in which athletic trainer Emmy Kasper, daughter of a star baseball player, aims to prove herself in helping injured pitcher Tucker Lloyd get back on the diamond for the San Francisco Felons. Before they know it, sparks fly. Finding Pitch Perfect “charming,” a Publishers Weekly reviewer concluded that “this sexy story won’t disappoint.” Secret McQueen’s younger sister, a werewolf princess with magical powers, is the star of the spin-off “Genie McQueen” series, which opens with Bayou Blues. The disappearance of one of Genie’s pack mates prompts a search with fellow werewolf Wilder that reveals small-town corruption. A Publishers Weekly reviewer hailed the “beautifully drawn characters and strong worldbuilding” in this “light, enjoyable novel.”
Writing as Gretchen Rue, Dean offers up cozy mysteries with paranormal pique in her “Witches’ Brew” series, starting with Steeped to Death. Fresh off a divorce in Seattle, Phoebe Winchester is diverted back to Raven Creek, Washington, when her aunt Eudora leaves her a Victorian mansion and a bookstore and tea room, The Earl’s Study. While fending off the aggressive overtures of realtor Deirdre Miller and reconnecting with PI Rich Lofting, an old friend, Phoebe discovers a body at the back of the shop—a criminal with unclear intentions. The magic in Eudora’s timeless recipes just might be real, helping Phoebe get to the bottom of things. A Publishers Weekly writer enjoyed Rue’s “sprightly debut,” reckoning that “a lovable cat, plenty of tea, enticing recipes, and more are sure to please cozy fans.”
Death by a Thousand Sips finds Phoebe mixed up in another murder when a trip to an estate auction to buy books is interrupted by wily cat Bob’s discovery of the sale coordinator’s body. Suspected by the police, Phoebe aims to clear her name and becomes a target when she learns too much. Fortunately she is learning how to manage her power to stop time. Lesa Holstine remarked in Library Journal that “fans of paranormal cozies will enjoy” this sequel. In The Grim Steeper, Phoebe’s bookshop sponsors a visit by a birdwatching expert who gets stabbed in the back—perhaps by an associate, as a lawyer’s ensuing death suggests. While appreciating the “convoluted” solution, Holstine commented in Library Journal that “it’s the appealing cast of characters and Phoebe’s attempts to control her magic that will attract readers.”
Rue starts the “Lucky Pie” series with A Pie to Die For, set in Split Pine Island, in northern Michigan, as tourist season comes to a close. The magical recipe used by Este March for her famous pies brings good fortune, but her supplies are compromised when new produce deliveryman Jeff raises prices, skimps on quality, and fails to deliver strawberries—and later turns up dead. Este suspects an outsider, Mick Gorley, who along with his daughter has skirted the island’s housing laws. A Kirkus Reviews writer deemed A Pie to Die For “a sweet treat for mystery mavens looking for something not too challenging.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2022, review of Steeped to Death; July 15, 2023, review of Death by a Thousand Sips; December 15, 2023, review of A Pie to Die For; August 1, 2024, review of The Grim Steeper.
Library Journal, July, 2023, Lesa Holstine, review of Death by a Thousand Sips, p. 52; June, 2024, Matthew Galloway, review of A Pie to Die For (audiobook), p. 58; August, 2024, Lesa Holstine, review of The Grim Steeper, p. 72.
Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2016, review of Thunder Road, p. 55; June 19, 2017, review of Bayou Blues, p. 97; July 11, 2022, review of Steeped to Death, p. 59.
ONLINE
Publishers Weekly, http://www.pw.com/ (June 10, 2013), review of Pitch Perfect.
Sierra Dean website, https://www.sierradean.com/ (December 28, 2024).
Gretchen Rue
Who is Gretchen Rue?
Gretchen is a secondary pen-name from author Sierra Dean. She is a cozy mystery author, whose works include The Witches' Brew and Lucky Pie series from Crooked Lane Books.
Sierra Dean is the author of the popular Secret McQueen urban fantasy series.
When not building worlds, she can be found knitting, reading, or pursuing her other passion of baseball journalism.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she remains there even now, in spite of the cold winters and bug-filled summers, because you just can't take a prairie girl out of the prairie.
She lives with her seven cats, 100 plants, and six TV streaming services.
Steeped to Death
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639101641, $28.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Steeped-Death-Witches-Brew-Mystery/dp/1639101640
Synopsis: Phoebe Winchester's beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for adventure--and a knack for making magical tea. It's even rumored that she just might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece in the form of her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl's Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob. Phoebe gets more than she bargained for and she knows she's in deep when a dead man is found on the shop's back step, apparently killed while trying to break in.
Two suspects immediately emerge among the townspeople of Raven Creek, Washington. There's village busybody Dierdre Miller, who seems desperate to buy Eudora's house, and handsome PI Rich, one of Phoebe's childhood friends--but how well does she really know him after all these years apart?
Phoebe knows she should leave it to the professionals, but as she starts to dig into the underbelly of Raven Creek, she begins to uncover the truth about Eudora. What's more, her aunt might not have been the only witch in the family, as Phoebe soon discovers she has unique and unexpected gifts of her own.
Now, it's just a matter of putting her newfound power to the test and cast a spell that could catch a killer!
Critique: With a very special appeal to anyone with an interest in Cosy Mysteries and Amateur Sleuth 'whodunnit' novels, "Steeped To Death" by Gretchen Rue is a fun read from cover to cover. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to any and all community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of truly dedicated mystery buffs that "Steeped To Death" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666614527, $22.99, CD).
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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"Steeped to Death." Internet Bookwatch, Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A723288951/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=db0f19f8. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Steeped to Death: A Witches' Brew Mystery
Gretchen Rue. Crooked Lane, $26.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-63910-164-1
Newly divorced Phoebe Winchester, the narrator of Rue's sprightly debut and series launch, moves from Seattle to Raven Creek, Wash., after inheriting a Victorian mansion from her late Auntie Eudora, who was rumored to have been a witch. Eudora also left Phoebe a cat, Bob, and the Earl's Study, a bookstore/tearoom, which Phoebe endeavors to learn how to run as she tries to fit into small-town life. Her troubles begin when a dead man, later identified as Carl "Ox" Bullock, turns up on the backstep of the Earl's Study. Was Carl, who had a criminal past, trying to break in? One murder suspect is Deirdre Miller, an alarmingly aggressive local who insists that Phoebe sell her Eudora's house and business. Another suspect is PI Rich Lofting, a childhood friend Phoebe hasn't seen in years, but with whom she was once close. Meanwhile, in seeking to learn more about her aunt, Phoebe discovers that Eudora really was a witch and that she herself may have magical powers, which could help her solve a murder and prevent her own. A lovable cat, plenty of tea, enticing recipes, and more are sure to please cozy fans. Rue is off to a good start. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Steeped to Death: A Witches' Brew Mystery." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 29, 11 July 2022, p. 59. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A711579395/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=40103631. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen STEEPED TO DEATH Crooked Lane (Fiction None) $26.99 9, 6 ISBN: 978-1-63910-164-1
Taking over her aunt's tea shop brings a woman head-to-head with an intrusive realtor, making her hope for a bit of left-behind magic that might keep her safe.
Back from Seattle and a mistaken marriage, Phoebe Winchester is surprised at how much she remembers about Raven Creek. Pulling into her Auntie Eudora's--well, now it's Phoebe's--Lane End House, she finds memories of time spent with Eudora cheering her up in the wake of her aunt's death. As Bob, Eudora's handsome orange cat, encourages Phoebe to make herself at home, she's happy to start establishing connections with almost everyone in town. Everyone, that is, except for troublesome Deirdre Miller, who keeps hounding Phoebe to sell Lane End House to her. Though Deirdre may think Phoebe isn't going to stay, Phoebe's just settling in, and the most important part of that ritual is reopening The Earl's Study. She's always known the tea shop as a special place, but looking at some of Eudora's recipes, she starts to wonder if it's a bit more special than she realized. Was Eudora brewing some magic along with the tea leaves? Phoebe hopes that running the store will help reconnect her with Eudora and answer this question, but her attention's diverted by a dead body and an apparent murder at the back of the store. She's relieved the deceased isn't Rich, a childhood friend with whom she's reconnected. But she wonders who might be interested in the shop, and why, and whether there's more going on here than just tea.
A series debut that sets up mild notes promising a deeper steep in future installments.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Rue, Gretchen: STEEPED TO DEATH." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A708486948/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=eb503ed1. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Death by a Thousand Sips
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104536, $30.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Thousand-Sips-Witches-Mystery/dp/1639104534
Synopsis: Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She's beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl's Study, and learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale--even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.
Rumors of Phoebe's involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again. She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?
With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn't--will she find herself in even more hot water?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from first page to last, "Death by a Thousand Sips" is a cozy mystery reader's delight from cover to cover. While also available for the personal reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), "Death by a Thousand Sips" by impressively talented novelist Gretchen Rue is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Gretchen Rue (https://www.sierradean.com/gretchenrue) lives in the Canadian prairies, which affords her ample time to read during the six months of winter. She plays cat mom to four mostly indifferent fur children, and plant mom to roughly 100 very demanding flora. When she isn't sipping tea and working on her next novel, she enjoys swimming, hiking, and watching baseball.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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"Death by a Thousand Sips." Internet Bookwatch, Oct. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A772176259/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5227d39b. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen DEATH BY A THOUSAND SIPS Crooked Lane (Fiction None) $29.99 9, 5 ISBN: 9781639104536
Sorting out her witchy powers might help a nosy tea shop owner solve a small-town murder.
Phoebe Winchester has just about adjusted to her new life in Raven Creek, Washington, where she runs the Earl's Study, the tea-and-book shop she inherited from her dearly departed aunt Eudora. The fact that Eudora also secretly owned the deeds to half the shops on Main Street is helpful, though it was a surprise to Phoebe, who's more a bargain hunter than a money haver (and she plans to follow Eudora's lead in devoting the rental income to improving the town). The properties aren't the only surprise inheritance from Eudora: Phoebe's just learned that she's part of a long line of people with mystical powers, or, as some might say, a witch. Since she's still figuring out the rules governing her powers, she mainly uses them to amp up the potency of her teas. But she's not above stopping time if, for example, her life is in mortal danger. Threats to her well-being arrive more often than she'd like. Even her trip to check out some mass-market paperbacks at an auction leads to a murder, which, in turn, leads to the killer going after Phoebe when it seems she might know too much. And Phoebe does know too much, thanks in large part to the help she gets from both her PI friend and hopeful boyfriend, Rich Lofting, and her ginger tabby, Bob, who's almost as determined to investigate as he is to eat treats. Can Phoebe find the killer before she's caught in the crosshairs, or will Eudora's legacy end with her?
Heavy on recipes, cats, and other such details that will delight or detract, depending on the reader.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Rue, Gretchen: DEATH BY A THOUSAND SIPS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A756872246/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=779c574b. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen. Death by a Thousand Sips. Crooked Lane. (A Witches' Brew Mystery, Bk. 2). Sept. 2023. 336p. ISBN 9781639104536. $29.99. M
Phoebe Winchester loves her new life in Raven Creek, WA. When her Aunt Eudora died, Phoebe inherited her house; the Earl's Study, a bookstore/tea shop; deeds to half the businesses on Main Street; and her aunt's orange tabby, Bob. Phoebe is eager to add stock to the bookstore, so she sets out to an estate sale and auction in a neighboring town, only to discover that she has a stowaway, Bob. She keeps him in the car while she meets the estate sale coordinator, Madeline Morrow, who seems a little hoity-toity. By the time Phoebe wins the lot of books, Madeline has disappeared and Bob wanders into the room. Phoebe tries to keep him hidden but follows his footprints--bloody footprints--to Madeline's body, which Bob has discovered. Under police suspicion for Madeline's murder, Phoebe must investigate to prove that she isn't a killer. Her nosiness will soon put her in the path of a murderer. VERDICT Fans of paranormal cozies will enjoy the sequel to Steeped to Death, where Phoebe continues to develop her newly discovered powers as a witch able to stop time. Readers of bookstore mysteries will appreciate the setting, staff, and customers.-Lesa Holstine
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
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Holstine, Lesa. "Death by a Thousand Sips." Library Journal, vol. 148, no. 7, July 2023, p. 52. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A755555587/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b1a145c0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
A Pie to Die For
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639106257, $29.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pie-Die-Lucky-Mysteries/dp/1639106251
Synopsis: Este March runs the family-owned Lucky Pie Diner on Split Pine Island in Northern Michigan. The pies at Lucky Pie aren't just good, they're magical, made from a family recipe that grants certain customers their greatest hopes and dreams when they eat the pie. The remote island is closed to outsiders over the winter months, but on the last day of the season, the unpopular new produce vendor, Jeff, turns up dead on his boat, and Split Pine Island's peace goes up in smoke.
Tom Cunningham, the local sheriff, casts suspicion onto Este, who may have been the last person to see Jeff alive. Not to mention several people witnessed her getting into an argument with the rude vendor in some of his final hours. Este decides to clear her name and her diner's reputation by launching her own investigation, which means she must turn suspicion on her friends and neighbors, because only a local could have murdered the victim.
As Este investigates, she uncovers a deeper web of secrets, finding that many of the locals had reason to either frame her, or kill the victim. The clock is ticking to figure out the killer, and the clues in the case are flakier than an apple pie. Este will have to uncover the killer before her future crumbles.
Critique: A classic cozy mystery from Gretchen Rue, "A Pie to Die For" is the first volume of the author's new 'A Lucky Pie Mystery' series from Crooked Lane Books. Once again we find a young woman compelled to become amateur detective in her attempt to clear herself from a murder mystery by finding out 'whodunnit'. A fresh and fun read from cover to cover, "A Pie to Die For" will prove an instantly popular pick for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "A Pie to Die For" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Gretchen Rue (https://www.sierradean.com/gretchenrue) is a secondary pen-name from author Sierra Dean. She is a cozy mystery author, whose works include The Witches' Brew series and now the Lucky Pie series from Crooked Lane Books as well.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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"A Pie to Die For." Internet Bookwatch, Feb. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A788403232/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=45f8873c. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen. A Pie To Die For. Tantor Media. Feb. 2024.9:29 hrs. ISBN 9798855522709. $19.99. m
Rue's solid series opener introduces listeners to Este March, her magical lucky pies, and the seasonal town of Split Pine. Now that the off-season has arrived, the pace of life--and narration--is a comfortable meander as Este's performer, Callie Beaulieu, welcomes listeners to the diner and Introduces the year-round residents. The usually quiet town is thrown into disarray when Jeff, the new produce vendor, turns up dead. Este's social mores don't give her much room for outward snark, and this, when combined with the warmth Beaulieu imbues in her, might fool listeners into thinking she's a pushover. However, the strength to be kind is the same strength that allows her to track down a killer. While there is an element of self-interest in her investigation since she's the prime suspect, Este mostly wants to restore a sense of safety to her community. The solidity of the mystery suffers a little from balancing against the setting and magical pie lore. Each of these story elements is hefty on its own. However, now that much has been explained, subsequent series entries may have more room for murder. VERDICT A delicious magical cozy to entice listeners new to the subgenre.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Galloway, Matthew. "Rue, Gretchen. A Pie To Die For." Library Journal, vol. 149, no. 6, June 2024, pp. 58+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A797499054/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ff0bd6a0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen A PIE TO DIE FOR Crooked Lane (Fiction None) $29.99 2, 6 ISBN: 9781639106257
Convinced that an island outsider is up to no good, a pie shop owner encourages police to investigate him, at the risk of seeming like a suspect herself.
Este March is getting ready for the off-season, when Split Pine Island in northern Michigan shuts down to everyone but locals as November ushers in cold weather. That means selling tourists their last meals from her family-owned Lucky Pie Diner, famed for its pies, some of which bring the eater good luck through a magical recipe. So tourists naturally want to get one last chance at luck before next summer rolls around. Este is distracted from her preparations for the final days of the season when her latest produce order is tripped up in transit. Instead of the reliable Denny McAvoy delivering her latest order from Evergreen Produce, some new guy named Jeff Kelly shows up with produce at double the price and half the value. And no strawberries! Este tries to keep it positive, but when new guy Jeff is found dead on a boat, she imagines that she might not be the only one he rubbed the wrong way. She's certain that non-local Mick Gorley has something to do with Jeff's demise. After all, Mick and daughter Jersey have managed to skirt the island's needlessly complex housing laws, so who knows what other round-the-back schemes they may be working? Este tries to convince local sheriff Tom Cunningham of Mick's guilt, but her interest in the case makes her look more like a suspect than a concerned citizen. Maybe she should eat a piece of her own lucky pie before she's put on the hook for Jeff's murder.
A sweet treat for mystery mavens looking for something not too challenging.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Rue, Gretchen: A PIE TO DIE FOR." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A776005436/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5688b29b. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
The Grim Sleeper
Gretchen Rue
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639108657, $30.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-grim-steeper-gretchen-rue/1144540807
Synopsis: Amateur witch Phoebe Winchester is excited to host her first big author event at the Earl's Study, her book and tea store. The author, Sebastian Marlow, is a famous birder excited to put Raven Creek on the map for his rediscovery of a presumed-extinct bird. When Sebastian is found dead before his planned bird hike, where he expected to prove the existence of the bird to fellow birding enthusiasts, it's obvious someone wanted him to be extinct, too.
Sebastian had a few unfriendly encounters with his staff--including his recently fired manager, who was seen arguing with him at the author event. Phoebe is determined to figure out who killed Sebastian, worried that it will negatively affect her store's image that her biggest guest author got killed. With the clock ticking, she enlists the help of Rich Lofting, the handsome local private investigator, to help her look into the murder.
It's not long before another victim is pecked off and someone close to Phoebe is the suspect. She'll have to work quickly to uncover the killer and figure out who's up to fowl play in the third charming book in this warm and witchy series.
Critique: Adding a little Wiccan witchcraft to the mix, "The Grim Sleeper" by novelist Gretchen Rue is an original and deftly crafted cozy mystery that includes an amateur female sleuth, a first class 'whodunnit' murder mystery, and more plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado. A fun and memorable read from cover to cover, "The Grim Sleeper" is a solid pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists of cozy mystery (and Wiccan) fans it should be noted that "The Grim Sleeper" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9798228000988, $45.99) flawless narrated by Kristin Price.
Editorial Note: Gretchen Rue (www.sierradean.com/gretchenrue) is a secondary pen-name from author Sierra Dean. She is a talented cozy mystery author, whose works include The Witches' Brew and Lucky Pie series from Crooked Lane Books.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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"The Grim Sleeper." Internet Bookwatch, Sept. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A813642925/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c981165b. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen. The Grim Steeper. Crooked Lane. (A Witches' Brew Mystery, Bk. 3). Sept. 2024. 304p. ISBN 9781639108657. $30.99. M
Amateur witch Phoebe Winchester inherited the Earl's Study (a combination tea parlor and book shop in Raven Creek) from her aunt, and she and her staff are excited to host their first major event, at which renowned birder Sebastian Marlow will sign his new book, then lead a hiking excursion the next day. When Sebastian shows up with an obnoxious, demanding entourage, Phoebe is worried. But the book signing goes well, and Sebastian announces that he hopes to put Raven Creek on the map. He thinks that the nearby woods are home to a bird thought to be extinct. But before the birding excursion, someone stabs Sebastian in the back. Phoebe teams up with a childhood friend, now a private eye, to investigate suspects, which include Sebastian's entourage--particularly when a sleazy lawyer is killed at the same spot. Although the Raven Creek grocer had an argument with the lawyer, Phoebe's convinced someone else killed both men. VERDICT While the solution is convoluted in the sequel to Death by a Thousand Sips, it's the appealing cast of characters and Phoebe's attempts to control her magic that will attract readers.--Lesa Holstine
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
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Holstine, Lesa. "Rue, Gretchen. The Grim Steeper." Library Journal, vol. 149, no. 8, Aug. 2024, p. 72. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A804538378/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ff7c52fc. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Rue, Gretchen THE GRIM STEEPER Crooked Lane (Fiction None) $29.99 9, 10 ISBN: 9781639108657
A witch's magic powers help solve a murder in Raven Creek, Washington.
Phoebe Winchester inherited The Earl's Study, a book- and tea shop, from her Aunt Eudora. She also inherited a mansion, half of Main Street, an orange cat named Bob, and her witchy powers. Despite all these resources, she's nervous about her first tie-in with an author, birder Sebastian Marlow, who arrives with an entourage but not his business manager, Deacon Hume, whom he fired after Phoebe had made all the arrangements with him. The tension Phoebe's noticed among the members of Sebastian's group goes from bad to worse when Deacon shows up. Even so, the book signing is successful, and a hike is planned for the next day, when Sebastian hopes to spot a bird thought to be extinct. When Phoebe arrives at the B&B where she's arranged for the group to stay, she learns that Sebastian's been murdered. Knowing of Phoebe's sleuthing experience, Det. Patsy Martin asks her to keep an eye out for clues without doing any serious investigating. Despite this warning, Phoebe joins private investigator Rich Lofting, her childhood friend and current love interest, in snooping around. Since Sebastian wasn't in the room assigned to him, could his death have been the result of mistaken identity? In addition to dealing with the murder and with magical powers not entirely under her control, Phoebe investigates a sleazy lawyer trying to buy up the town with help from a local real estate agent. A lot more problems come along before Phoebe, with help from her friends, can solve the crimes.
Mystery and magic combine in this charming tale of murder and mayhem.
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"Rue, Gretchen: THE GRIM STEEPER." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A802865293/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ef927f97. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.