Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Of Books and Bagpipes
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.paigeshelton.com/
CITY:
STATE: AZ
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Charlie; children: one son.
EDUCATION:Attended Drake University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Previously worked in advertising.
WRITINGS
Contributor to books, including The Cozy Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from Today’s Bestselling Mystery Authors, Berkley Prime Crime (New York, NY), 2015.
SIDELIGHTS
Paige Shelton is an author of cozy mystery novels. Previously, she worked in advertising. Shelton attended Drake University.
"Farmers' Market Mystery" Series
Shelton’s first novel is Farm Fresh Murder. It is the first installment in her “Farmers’ Market Mystery” series, which stars Becca Robins, a divorcee and jam maker who sells her wares at Bailey’s Farmers’ Market in Monson, SC.
Fruit of All Evil, the second book in the series, finds Becca helping to plan a wedding to be held at the farmers’ market. When the mother of the groom-to-be is found dead, Becca attempts to find out who her killer is. A writer on the Debbie’s Book Bag website commented: “If you like a good cozy mystery, there are lots of reasons to choose this one. Paige Shelton does an excellent job with the second book in the ‘Farmers’ Market’ series. Fruit of All Evil has it all. Great plot line, quirky and interesting characters, humor and even a touch of romance.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer described the volume as “entertaining” and noted that it featured a “less than surprising but still satisfying conclusion.”
In Bushel Full of Murder, Becca and her fellow farmers’ market vendors clash with the new food truck operators at Bailey’s. When the business manager of Monson turns up dead, it is suspected that the killer is someone involved with the market. Becca’s cousin, Peyton, who runs a hot dog truck, becomes the lead suspect, and Becca determines to prove his innocence. “Paige Shelton has topped herself this time,” asserted a reviewer on the Escape with Dollycas website. The same reviewer continued: “With … Bushel Full of Murder, she has given us a fabulous mystery with many twists and turns. … The plotting is top notch. This is a perfect summer read.” Mary Brown, contributor to the Open Book Society website, suggested: “Bushel Full of Murder is a well written, action packed, thrilling mystery. The characters are fun, diverse and well developed.” Brown added: “Reading Bushel Full of Murder is like coming home, while it is still as fresh as a just picked tomato. This installment of the superb series is as great as all the others and even better.”
"Gram's Country Cooking School Mystery" Series
Shelton’s Gram’s Country Cooking School Mystery” series features books, including If Catfish Had Nine Lives. Gram and her granddaughter, Betts, run a cooking school in Broken Rope, MO. They try to solve the murder of an actor in a local cowboy show. A writer on the Smitten by Books website commented: “If Catfish Had Nine Lives is an enjoyable read overall; the concept is unique, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are entertaining and relatively full-fleshed. If you’re hankering for a fair-play mystery, though, you may want to steer clear.” A critic on the Open Books Society website suggested: “This is a fun cozy mystery series, and the cowboy-ish setting and ghostly aspects keep the plots fresh.” The same critic described the book as “recommended for fans of the series, lovers of food cozies, and those who enjoy a little ghost activity in their cozy mysteries.”
Betts and Gram use their ability to communicate with ghosts to help them solve the murder of Derek Rowlett. Debbie Wiley, reviewer on the Fresh Fiction website, asserted: “If Onions Could Spring Leeks is a fascinating cozy mystery with two mysteries unfolding—one in the present day and one in Broken Rope’s past.” Wiley added: “If Onions Could Spring Leeks is easily recommended.” A contributor to the Night Owl Suspense website remarked: “A more complex and descriptive novel would be hard to find, let alone set aside for chores or sleep. Compelling characters and unique situations keep the reader’s interest, and Ms. Shelton does a good job inserting historical pieces into the storyline.”
"Scottish Bookshop Mystery" Series
The Cracked Spine is the first volume in Shelton’s “Scottish Bookshop Mystery” series. In an interview with a contributor to the Poisoned Pen website, Shelton described the series’s main character. She stated: “Delaney is a late-twenties, intelligent, well-educated woman who found herself in a situation she never could have predicted: laid-off from the Wichita, Kansas, museum job she loved. She was really good at it too. It’s as she’s in this state of ‘stun,’ the first time the real world has reared some of its unfairness her direction, that she answers an ad to work in a bookshop in Edinburgh, Scotland.” Shelton continued: “Probably all the ramifications haven’t quite set in when she actually accepts the position during a phone call with her new boss, Edwin MacAlister. She had never been out of Kansas before, and she wanted to be bold. She decides that taking a job across the ocean is a good way to begin that bold journey.” Regarding the setting, Shelton to the same contributed: “When my husband, son, and I actually went to Scotland our first stop was Grassmarket, and I knew without a doubt that The Cracked Spine had to be located in this historical area near the Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Castle.” “Prolific Shelton … kicks off a new series featuring a sleuth who’ll delight book lovers, a so-so mystery, and Edinburgh in the starring role,” remarked a critic on the Kirkus Reviews website. A Publishers Weekly writer commented: “This spotlessly clean, fun-filled read takes plenty of twists and turns.”
Delaney is sent on a book-buying mission to Castle Doune in Of Books and Bagpipes. Her overprotective landlord comes along. There, they discover the person they were supposed to meet dead. He is dressed as William Wallace. The man’s father, an estranged friend of Edwin’s, has been presumed dead but drops his assumed identity in order to help find out who is responsible for his son’s murder. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly described the book as “enjoyable.” “This sequel to The Cracked Spine … is rich in Scottish dialect and eccentric characters, including a well-meaning heroine who brings on most of her own troubles,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews writer. Sue O’Brien, contributor to Booklist, noted: “Delaney is a bright, sympathetic figure surrounded by well-drawn secondary characters.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2017, Sue O’Brien, review of Of Books and Bagpipes, p. 24.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2017, review of Of Books and Bagpipes.
Publishers Weekly, January 17, 2011, review of Fruit of All Evil, p. 34; February 1, 2016, review of The Cracked Spine. p. 50; February 13, 2017, review of Of Books and Bagpipes, p. 51.
ONLINE
Ann Arbor News Online, http://www.annarbor.com/ (April 27, 2011), Lisa Allmendinger, review of Fruit of All Evil.
BookEnds Literary Agency Website, http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/ (April 6, 2010), article by author.
Debbie’s Book Bag, http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/ (March 26, 2011), review of Fruit of All Evil.
Escape with Dollycas, http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/ (June 19, 2015), review of Bushel Full of Murder.
Fresh Fiction, http://freshfiction.com/ (August 21, 2015), Debbie Wiley, review of If Onions could Spring Leeks.
Jungle Red Writers, http://www.jungleredwriters.com/ (April 11, 2017), author interview.
Kirkus Reviews Online, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/ (January 10, 2016), review of The Cracked Spine.
Night Owl Suspense, https://suspense.nightowlreviews.com/ (September, 2015), review of If Onions could Spring Leeks.
Open Book Society, http://openbooksociety.com/ (August 11, 2014), review of If Catfish Had Nine Lives; (June 11, 2015), Mary Brown, review of Bushel Full of Murder.
Paige Shelton Website, http://www.paigeshelton.com (October 31, 2017).
Poisoned Pen, https://poisonedpen.com/ (May 6, 2015), author interview.
Smitten by Books, http://smittenbybooks.com/ (September 27, 2014), review of If Catfish Had Nine Lives.*
ABOUT ME
My husband and I moved to Arizona in February of 2015 but before that we lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. I moved there for an advertising job right after college. I hadn't planned on staying twenty-seven years, but I met Charlie, we got married, we had our son, and a really terrific life happened. I loved Utah, and those twenty-seven years were wonderful. Our son's in college in Missouri now, and we're enjoying our new and very desert adventure.
As a kid I moved around a lot. My dad was a football coach, mostly throughout the Midwest but we spent one year in Portales, New Mexico. A couple of things stood out and and stayed with me that year. 1 - We lived in a haunted house. 2 - The southwest rubbed off on me and I have loved it ever since.
I did get to start and finish high school in one place - Des Moines, Iowa, which is a wonderful city even if the humid climate always was a challenge. I ended up going to college there too, at Drake University where I studied journalism. I made some great friends those years. I'm glad to still be in touch with many of them.
I have only ever wanted to be a writer. I've had good jobs, bad jobs, great bosses, and terrible bosses. Through it all and ever since I was seven I have only wanted to write. I'm grateful to have the opportunity now. If you're interested in my road to becoming a published author, I posted the story on my agent's blog. Click here -
I spend a lot of time on Facebook. I've been told I talk way too much about my personal life over there, but I don't see that changing any time soon. Find me if you're interested.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Paige Shelton on Getting Published
Paige Shelton
Farm Fresh Murder
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Pub date: April 2010
Agent: Jessica Faust
(Click to Buy)
How to Do Almost Everything Wrong and Still Get Published . . . Someday
I think I still have the notebook with the psychedelic design on its cover. I pasted comical cigarette stickers all over the back of it. It was 1971 after all, and I was only seven years old. Inside, on the first page, I wrote a poem titled "My Kite." As I finished the four-line masterpiece, I realized that I was destined to be a writer. Surely, the magnificent feeling that creating the poem gave me meant destiny was speaking – determining my future.
If only it had spoken a little more clearly.
I continued to write for my own enjoyment, but between 1971 and 1997 lots of other great stuff happened, like friendships, school, marriage, motherhood, jobs that weren’t always soul-sucking. In 1997 I decided it was time to turn this writing dream into a reality. I decreed I would be published by 1999, just in case all that Y2K stuff came true.
Though I was an avid mystery reader, the only local writing group I could find was the Utah Chapter of Romance Writers of America. I should point out that I looked the number up in the phonebook – the Internet wasn’t as grown-up as it is now. Anyway, they were (and still are, by the way) a great group of women (and some men) who taught me so much, but it was a huge mistake for me to think that I could write romance when, at the time, I hadn’t read even one. I started reading and writing, but I reached December 31, 1999, with only a bunch of poorly written love scenes and way too many euphemisms for sex.
I’ll summarize the next number of years by saying they were full of rejection – some constructive, some downright vicious. Honestly, when I hear about writers who dream (while sleeping) something that they turn into an immediate bestseller, I want to beat my head against my desk. I don’t begrudge anyone their success; I just wish it was that easy for the rest of us. I still dream about missing the all-important Psychology 101 final. I never dream bestselling stories.
Then somewhere along the way, the Internet did grow up. Suddenly, information became so . . . available. There are some amazing editors and agents out there who were kind enough to start these things called “Blogs.” Suddenly, I learned so much. So, that’s what a query letter is supposed to sound like! I’m not supposed to call editors? I need an agent? Really? Well, okay then, let me work on that.
With a few more manuscripts under my belt, more rejection followed until one day an agent said she actually wanted to represent me. Of course, I was stunned and excited beyond belief – and believe it or not, this was another huge mistake. The entire time I talked to her during our first phone call, something in my gut told me that she and I wouldn’t be a good fit. Something told me that I should politely tell her that I didn’t think it would work, but I didn’t. Instead, I spent the next two years trying to reach her – by email, phone or snail mail. The only time she responded was when she was in a hurry to something else and didn’t have much time to talk. I have no idea if she submitted my manuscript to the people she said she submitted it to.
But, I also spent those two years working on a mystery – this was my fifth completed manuscript. I won’t say the writing was easy, but it was almost a relief. I’ve probably read thousands of mysteries. I loved the plotting, I loved planting the red herrings, I loved . . . well, I loved the mystery. In fact, though I’ve always loved writing, writing this story was more satisfying than even the masterpiece poem I wrote when I was seven.
And I certainly wasn’t going to give it to my agent. I fired her – too politely probably – and set out to find another agent, a good one this time.
I’m not sure I can remember the exact sequence of events, but a few months into querying, two agents – two really good agents – were suddenly interested in my work. One had had the manuscript for a while. One hadn’t responded to my first query, so I sent her another one – finally, I did something right. The second one, the one who hadn’t responded at first, was Jessica Faust.
Things happened quickly at that point – this was February/March 2008. Not only did I know Jessica and I would be a good fit, but when I told the other agent who was interested (who is awesome, too, by the way) about Jessica, she only wished me luck and told me I was in great hands. She was right, and from the beginning Jessica has done exactly what she said she would do, and she has never once ignored a communication from me even if she didn’t have good news to share. These are things everyone should expect from their agent. I wish I’d known that sooner.
Anyway, Jessica set out to sell the manuscript. And, much to our disappointment, it didn’t sell. But Ms. Faust doesn’t even know the concept of “giving up.” She and I had a brainstorming session. Here’s the deal: When you have a brainstorming session with your agent and you feel like she knows you better than you even know yourself, rest assured you’ve signed on with the right person. The Farmer's Market Mystery Series idea came from that meeting.
It took some time for me to get about a hundred pages written, but in October of 2008, with those pages, Jessica sold the first three books of the series to the fabulous Michelle Vega at Berkley. The first book, Farm Fresh Murder, comes out today, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Yes, I made lots of mistakes along the way, some stupid, some just human, but I’m sure that somehow everything has worked out the way it was supposed to. It might have taken thirty-nine years from that first poem to get published, but hey, at least it didn’t take forty.
Farm Fresh Murder is Paige Shelton’s debut novel and the first in A Farmer’s Market mystery series. She also made a recent deal for If Fried Chicken Could Fly and two other books in the Grandma’s Cooking School mystery series. Both series are published with Berkley Prime Crime. More information on Paige and her books can be found on her web site www.paigeshelton.com/.
QUOTED: "Delaney is a late-twenties, intelligent, well-educated woman who found herself in a situation she never could have predicted: laid-off from the Wichita, Kansas, museum job she loved. She was really good at it too. It’s as she’s in this state of “stun,” the first time the real world has reared some of its unfairness her direction, that she answers an ad to work in a bookshop in Edinburgh, Scotland."
"Probably all the ramifications haven’t quite set in when she actually accepts the position during a phone call with her new boss, Edwin MacAlister. She had never been out of Kansas before, and she wanted to be bold. She decides that taking a job across the ocean is a good way to begin that bold journey."
"when my husband, son, and I actually went to Scotland our first stop was Grassmarket, and I knew without a doubt that The Cracked Spine had to be located in this historical area near the Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Castle."
Paige Shelton, In the Hot Seat
POSTED ON MAY 5, 2016 UPDATED ON APRIL 28, 2016
Paige Shelton, author of The Cracked Spine, will be one of The Poisoned Pen’s guest authors at this year’s Cozy Con, Saturday, May 7, 1-5 PM. I asked Paige to sit in the hot seat for some questions.
Cracked Spine
Paige, please introduce Delaney Nichols & The Cracked Spine.
Hi, everybody! Thanks for letting me drop by. Delaney is a late-twenties, intelligent, well-educated woman who found herself in a situation she never could have predicted: laid-off from the Wichita, Kansas, museum job she loved. She was really good at it too. It’s as she’s in this state of “stun,” the first time the real world has reared some of its unfairness her direction, that she answers an ad to work in a bookshop in Edinburgh, Scotland. Probably all the ramifications haven’t quite set in when she actually accepts the position during a phone call with her new boss, Edwin MacAlister. She had never been out of Kansas before, and she wanted to be bold. She decides that taking a job across the ocean is a good way to begin that bold journey.
There are lots of possibilities with a series that includes a bookstore, a pub, and a taxi driver. Can you give us hints as to the next book in the Scottish Bookshop series?
The bookstore, the taxi driver, and the pub are all included in the second book. More bookshop books will also be involved, specifically an Oor Wullie comic book. Oor Wullie (translantion: Our Willie) is a beloved Scottish character who always seems to get the short end of the stick, no matter how hard he tries. The comic strip has been around since 1936, and some of the annuals are quite valuable. As Delaney is sent on a secretive mission to barter a trade for an annual at a meeting atop a castle, she’s thrown into the middle of another murder. Historical characters William Wallace and Rob Roy make an appearance or two (not in a spectral way, just as their histories might contribute to the modern day story), and it seems that Edwin MacAlister’s past is even more mysterious than Delaney thought it was in the first book. I’m pretty sure this will be the title: OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES.
Do you have places in Scotland that inspired this series?
Definitely. As I started writing the book I had no firsthand knowledge of Scotland, specifically Edinburgh. I’d read about Scotland, of course, and had seen many pictures but I’d never been there. However a friend of mine got her master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh. I took her out to lunch and brought a map along, asking for her guidance as to where might be a good spot for a bookshop. Turns out there are lots of good spots, but we zeroed in on the Grassmarket area. Then, when my husband, son, and I actually went to Scotland our first stop was Grassmarket, and I knew without a doubt that The Cracked Spine had to be located in this historical area near the Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Castle. There’s actually a bookshop right where The Cracked Spine would be located, though it’s not like The Cracked Spine. Here’s a picture of the outside of the real-life shop that’s there and a picture of the stairway inside it that leads to more bookshelves. The stairway is designed a bit differently in Delaney’s world. The idea of the fictional secret room full of treasures came to me when I saw this stairway; a room that will play an important part throughout the life of the series.
PP Shelton photo store
PP Shelton photo stairs
The people we met in Scotland were even more inspiring than the locale. Everyone was helpful and interesting – everyone had a story about their personal history or about Scotland to share and they all shared so willingly. I took lots of notes just from conversations and personal stories. I think the thing that surprised me the most was how varied the Scottish accents were to our American ears. When I first had the idea to write the book I was going to make the brogue the same for all the Scottish characters, but that’s truly not the way the voices sounded to us, so I hope I created a somewhat realistic range in the book. We also ventured to the Highlands and even to Loch Ness. There’s no doubt that the country’s beauty and its people surpassed all our expectations. We hope to go back again someday.
What are you working on now?
The publisher and I have been so delighted with the response to THE CRACKED SPINE that we just recently completed negotiations for two more books, so I started working on book three of the Scottish Bookshop series, and just turned in book three of a different series I write: The Rescued Word series.
Now, some personal questions. Tell us about living in a haunted house.
When I was seven my family moved to Portales, New Mexico. We lived in the most spectacular house – with a marble entryway and a spiral staircase. I was too young at the time to understand that my dad’s salary as a football coach would not realistically allow us to live in such a house. From the second we moved in, I couldn’t step into the dining room. There was some sort of invisible barrier that kept me out. For whatever reason, this didn’t bother me. I just stayed out of the dining room and my parents never pushed me to go into it. I frequently felt pockets of cold air move next to or even through me, and one time the downstairs shower turned scalding hot on my back, but normalized by the time I screamed and jumped out of it (I still remember this very clearly). I used the upstairs shower from then on. There were some other weird things that happened too but they’re not as clear in my mind anymore. It was probably twenty years after we left that house and lived in many more towns and in very un-haunted houses that my parents told me that a teenager had committed suicide in the Portales dining room, and that’s why we could afford to rent such a beautiful place; it was cheap just so someone would move in. My parents hadn’t heard about the suicide because we moved there from out of state. They told me they probably wouldn’t have chosen to live there if they’d known, and we were only there for one year. Hearing about this twenty years later was bothersome but didn’t surprise me much. I have no doubt that the young man’s unhappy spirit was even more agitated with having us – maybe just me – there. I’d like to go back to Portales and see the house again someday, but I’m not sure I could go inside it. As a kid, otherworldly stuff wasn’t as weird to me as it might be as an adult.
You’re fairly new to Arizona. What discovery have you made? What’s your favorite place to take visitors?
I LOVE Arizona. Really, I do. I’m not just saying that. It was unbelievably hot my first summer, but not as horrible as I thought it would be – mostly because staying inside with air-conditioning was an available option. I love the Arizona sky and the winter was perfection – beautiful days with cool, sometimes cold evenings when I could make use of my socks, jeans, and sweatshirts. We live where we can watch the sun rise over the Superstition Mountains, and there’s a canal not far from our house where we ride bikes. We’ve ridden outside almost every day since we moved in. We sometimes ride to The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, which is one of my favorite places to take visitors. Two others are The Desert Botanical Garden (thanks to Cathy Cole for being the first to show me around the garden), and the Poisoned Pen (cross my heart I’m not just saying that for this post) which always includes a nice stroll through old Scottsdale. I still have so much to explore. I’d love to spend a month or so traveling around the entire state. Maybe someday.
What do you miss about Utah?
Friends, of course – not just mine, but my husband’s and son’s too, as well as some delightful neighbors. Basically, the people – oh, and the mountains. The mountains are pretty amazing. I also miss our favorite Sushi place: Ichiban. We can’t find anything like it in Arizona, but we’re not giving up the search.
Everyone has a bucket list, whether it’s written or in our head. What’s next on your list? What do you hope to do soon?
I didn’t think I had a bucket list but when a couple of friends were in town a few weeks ago (and we went to the Botanical Garden and Poisoned Pen) I realized that I do have a short one. I’d like to see Pompeii. I would also like to go to Maine, one of the few states I’ve yet to experience in person. At this moment those are the only two things I can think of, but I’m sure the list will grow now that I’ve really started to think about it.
What’s on your TBR (To Be Read) pile right now?
I’ll just go with the three that are on the very top. “Dear Mr. You” by Mary-Louise Parker, “Nowhere But Here” by Katie McGarry, and “Fool Me Once,” by Harlan Coben. That’s not a preference list, just what seems to be at the top of the TBR stack at this moment. It will probably grow today. It seems to grow a little every day.
Delaney Nichols is very observant. How would she describe you?
Probably way too flakey for my own good – little does she know that I’m almost always in the middle of daydreaming about my characters, so it’s for work. I’m too addicted to Diet Pepsi and chocolate, and frequently severely fashion challenged. My unexpected shifts in focus would probably drive her crazy, but I think we’d ultimately get along because . . . well, books!
Thanks for the fun interview, Lesa! I look forward to seeing you and everyone at Poisoned Pen’s Cozy Con.
Join Paige Shelton and the other guest authors at The Poisoned Pen’s Cozy Con, Saturday, May 7, 1-5 PM.
Jungle Red Writers
8 smart and sassy crime fiction writers dish on writing and life. It's The View. With bodies.
TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2017
Paige Shelton: Talks about Of Books and Bagpipes and microwave diets!
JENN: One of the best things about being a writer is the friendships you make along the way. Paige Shelton and I met years ago at some writing function or another when she resided in Utah and I was in Arizona, and it was pretty clear we were kindred spirits from the start. Thankfully, she's recently moved to AZ and now we're lunch buddies, which is great because being a writer can be a very solitary occupation. Paige brings a lot of light and laughter to my life and I am ever grateful, and here she is to share some of that Paige magic with you:
Paige Shelton
PAIGE: I’m supposed to be talking about my upcoming book, OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES, the second book in my Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series. Oh, I loved writing this book – literally, every second I spent working on this book was a joy. It was a rare experience, but I’ll take it. Here’s the thing though – I wrote it a long time ago. Since I turned it in, I’ve turned in two other books, and edited one. I know it’s no surprise that that’s how the publishing world works.
I journal my writing projects – word count, research, challenges, etc. When I began this article for Jungle Red, I looked back over my journal (and my notes, frankly, so I could remember the story) and I found two things on the same day. August 10, 2016, here are my entries:
Entry one - Time to put OBAB away. All the way done. LOVED (yep, all caps) writing this book.
Entry two – Begin diet.
Turns out, I did both of those things. OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES has lingered in my thoughts as a good-feeling, positive experience. And, I began a diet, which hasn’t been the least bit fun, but it’s been positive. So, far, I’ve lost 51 ½ pounds. I have 21 to go. No – no applause or congratulations, please. I gained the weight too.
I have no advice, but people have started asking what I’ve done to lose the weight. So, here’s a brief summary, right here where I’m supposed to be talking about my book, the one called OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES. Anyway.
Well, first of all, I didn’t consult a doctor. In fact, at the thirty-pound mark, I had to go to my doctor for a sinus infection. I got on the scale and the nurse noted my weight on my chart without any gasps or whoops of glee. The doctor came in and I had to point out the weight loss to him. He said, “Oh, that’s good.” I said, “No, that’s great. I expect balloons next time.” He laughed. I tried not to laugh because balloons wouldn’t suck.
On about August 1, I told my husband Charlie that I really wanted to try a diet and he’d have to cook for himself until I was done. I knew I couldn’t be in the kitchen much. I knew I would have to microwave things and stay out of that room as much as possible. I knew I couldn’t buy potato
chips, because potato chips are my most favorite food-thing of all time. Charlie didn’t even hesitate but said he’d do whatever I needed in the way of support. I didn’t expect anything different, but cooking has been my marriage role – I gave myself the job. I enjoy cooking. I enjoy our family meals together. I think giving it up was harder for me than for him. In fact, he’s lost weight too. He didn’t really need to, but he did and he’s pleased.
The microwave thing. Yeah, we purchased new appliances, and the reason I wanted to start on August 10 was because our new appliances were to be delivered on August 8. Happily, on about August 5, we took our old appliances to Goodwill. However, the delivery for our new ones got moved another week. I panicked. I wrote the start date in my journal, for goodness’ sake, I HAD to start my diet on the 10th. We went to Goodwill and bought back our old microwave for $20.00. Deal! We donated it again when we got our new stuff a week later.
I’ve always been an exerciser. I love biking, so I just continued doing that, but the way I’ve lost weight is simply by cutting down on calories. I found a calorie count that I could eat and still lose weight, and I stick to it most days. My favorite diet foods are Tootsie Pops and mini pancake/sausage things I found in the freezer section. I don’t cook much. I microwave. Low calorie frozen dinners with the desserts are yummy. I eat fast food – I just keep it under a certain calorie count. The only food I try to stay away from is potato chips because they are the best things ever created. However, I have had some at restaurants and they haven’t ruined the diet. I do feel hungry (first two weeks were I’m-gonna-die starvation hungry; now, mostly manageable hungry), but since I eat whatever I want (under the calorie count) I don’t feel deprived. It’s worked well for me. In case anyone wants to point out the unhealthiness of eating all these processed foods – I’m fully aware of all that stuff, and for now I just don’t care.
I also know the hard part is ahead of me. The weight loss has slowed, which is normal, and these last twenty are going to be a battle. But nothing like the battle of keeping the weight off. I’m shooting for the weight I was when I first thought I was fat, not the weight I was when I was skinny and miserable.
As I’ve watched the number on the scale go down, I’ve hit milestones like the weight I was when I was nine months pregnant almost twenty-three years ago, when I blew out my knee, and when my son was a baby and we went to New York City for Christmas. As of today, I’m three pounds above what I was when I came home from having Tyler, and thirteen pounds away from when I got pregnant. So, no, no congrats or kudos, however, I would take good vibes that I can keep doing what I’m doing.
Here’s the thing, if you want to lose weight (only if YOU want to), you have to find what works for you. This has worked for me. You should probably also talk to your doctor, even if only so she can get the balloons ready.
Oh yeah, though my books have absolutely nothing to do with what I’ve talked about here today, please check out OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES, publishing April 4. It’s a mystery set in Scotland. The main character is from Kansas and moved across the sea to take a job in a bookshop in Edinburgh. Little did she suspect that investigating murders would become a big part of her new life. Thank you.
Thanks to Jenn McKinlay and all the fabulous Jungle Red writers and readers for letting me stop by today. It’s a true honor.
JENN: Thanks so much for visiting us, Paige! And here's some balloons to celebrate you and your new book because, as you say, balloons wouldn't suck! LOL!
QUOTED: "Delaney is a bright, sympathetic figure surrounded by well-drawn secondary characters."
Of Books and Bagpipes
Sue O'Brien
Booklist.
113.14 (Mar. 15, 2017): p24.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Of Books and Bagpipes.
By Paige Shelton.
Apr. 2017.304p. Minotaur, $25.99 (9781250057495); e-book, $12.99 (9781466861220).
American Delaney Nichols works in an Edinburgh bookstore, Cracked Spine, which sells old books, rare manuscripts,
and artifacts. Her boss, Edwin MacAlister, asks her to go to Castle Doune to pick up a comic book. When she and her
landlord, Elias, get to the battlements where the meeting is supposed to take place, they find their contact, Billy
Armstrong, dressed as William Wallace and quite dead. Edwin is stunned by the murder, and Delaney becomes
involved in the investigation when she realizes that Edwin is not telling her the truth, or at least not the whole truth,
about events that occurred in the distant past that may be connected to Armstrong's murder. Interviewing Edwin's
former friends as well as a group of William Wallace reenactors, and with help from her boyfriend's father, a librarian,
Delaney ferrets out the truth while endangering her life. The Edinburgh and greater Scotland settings are lovingly
woven through the story, which includes details of literature and Scottish history. In this first-person account, Delaney
is a bright, sympathetic figure surrounded by well-drawn secondary characters.--Sue O'Brien
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
O'Brien, Sue. "Of Books and Bagpipes." Booklist, 15 Mar. 2017, p. 24. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA490998444&it=r&asid=946631c89a3258fc491883cfddacb424.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A490998444
QUOTED: "This sequel to The Cracked Spine ... is rich in Scottish dialect and eccentric characters, including a well-meaning heroine who brings on most of her own troubles."
10/15/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1508096244638 2/5
Shelton, Paige: OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Shelton, Paige OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES Minotaur (Adult Fiction) $25.99 4, 4 ISBN: 978-1-250-05749-5
A murder at a Scottish castle reveals a murky past.Kansas transplant Delaney Nichols and her protective landlord drive
to Castle Doune outside Edinburgh to do a favor for her boss, Edwin MacAlister. Purveyor of rare books and
manuscripts, Edwin owns The Cracked Spine bookstore in Edinburgh, and he's asked Delaney to pick up a vintage
comic book from a William Wallace re-enactor. They find the re-enactor in full costume and as dead as Wallace, with
the comic book half-hidden on the castle roof. The dead man, Billy Armstrong, was the son of Gordon Armstrong, an
old friend of Edwin's, though the two men fell out 50 years ago and Gordon supposedly died in a recent fire. Almost
immediately, Gordon shows up at the bookstore, very much alive and smelling of fish from the market where he works
under an assumed name, accusing Edwin of having something to do with his son's death. Assisted by her boyfriend,
Tom, Delaney returns to the castle to try to find a paper--a handwritten account of why Gordon has been in hiding--that
was supposedly inside the book. Instead they turn up a dirk--a foot-long Scottish knife--and a business card printed
with the name "Grizel Sheehy, Bagpipes," that has Billy's last name written on the back. Delaney's fondness for Edwin
leads her to lie to the police, nose her way into other people's business, and walk into danger as she attempts to find out
not only who killed Billy, but what really happened 50 years ago to come between Gordon, Edwin, and other members
of a secret society. Is the real message to Edwin the dirk that Delaney found? How many times will the name William
figure into past and present mysteries? Did Grizel kill Billy with her bagpipes? And will all the literary voices--
quotations from fictional characters--help Delaney find the answers she seeks or get her killed? This sequel to The
Cracked Spine (2016) is rich in Scottish dialect and eccentric characters, including a well-meaning heroine who brings
on most of her own troubles.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Shelton, Paige: OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2017. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA480922002&it=r&asid=a026760d2e7ec861d6d8d7dc838fe94e.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A480922002
QUOTED: "enjoyable."
10/15/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1508096244638 3/5
Of Books and Bagpipes
Publishers Weekly.
264.7 (Feb. 13, 2017): p51.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Of Books and Bagpipes
Paige Shelton. Minotaur, $25.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-250-05749-5
In Shelton's enjoyable second Scottish Bookshop cozy (after 2016's The Cracked Spine), Edwin MacAlister, owner of
the Edinburgh bookshop the Cracked Spine, dispatches his American assistant, Delaney Nichols, to Castle Doune, a
well-preserved ruin in the countryside, where she's to meet a mystery man with a 1930s comic book to sell, Oor
Wullie. Atop the battlements, Delaney finds her contact lying dead, dressed in medieval costume. Spotting the copy of
Oor Wullie near the body, Delaney impulsively hides it in her jacket. The victim turns out to have a complicated link to
Edwin's past and the four members of a secret society from Edwin's college days. But who would kill over a comic
book, and what's its connection to Edwin and his college chums? Delaney once again turns sleuth, putting her life in
peril in a way she could never have imagined before moving from Kansas to Scotland. Fortunately, handsome pub
owner Tom Fletcher is on hand to provide some romantic interest amid the dark doings. Agent: Jessica Faust,
BookEnds Literary Agency. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Of Books and Bagpipes." Publishers Weekly, 13 Feb. 2017, p. 51+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA482198154&it=r&asid=1b07ecb987fe3da7f569802050a4a0e9.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482198154
QUOTED: "This spotlessly clean, fun-filled read takes plenty of twists and turns."
10/15/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1508096244638 4/5
The Cracked Spine
Publishers Weekly.
263.5 (Feb. 1, 2016): p50.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Cracked Spine Paige Shelton. Minotaur, $25.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-05748-8
This appealing first in a new cozy series from Shelton (Merry Market Murder and four other Farmer's Market
mysteries) introduces Delaney Nichols, who answers an employment ad after losing her museum job in Wichita, Kans.,
and ends up working at the Cracked Spine, a bookstore in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Cracked Spine's owner, Edwin
MacAlister, belongs to a secretive little group of wealthy collectors and sellers known as the Fleshmarket Batch,
named for the meat market that once existed near the bookstore. Soon after Delaney meets the shop's two other
employees, Hamlet and Rosie, Edwin's drug addict sister is found murdered, and Edwin admits to leaving a nearpriceless
and now-missing item in her possession. Delaney's desire to help almost gets her killed, but that doesn't
prevent her from making some fast friends and meeting Tom, the attractive bartender across the street. This spotlessly
clean, fun-filled read takes plenty of twists and turns on the way to the satisfying ending. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Cracked Spine." Publishers Weekly, 1 Feb. 2016, p. 50+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA442780306&it=r&asid=1cfd6822509e2f9a2b3c85179fdf7f33.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A442780306
QUOTED: "entertaining"
"less than surprising but still satisfying conclusion."
10/15/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1508096244638 5/5
Fruit of All Evil
Publishers Weekly.
258.3 (Jan. 17, 2011): p34.
COPYRIGHT 2011 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Fruit of All Evil
Paige Shelton. Berkley Prime Crime, $7.99 mass market (304p) ISBN 978-0-425-24022-9
In Shelton's entertaining second Farmers' Market mystery (after 2010's Farm Fresh Murder), twice-divorced jam maker
Becca Robins is glad to help prepare for a wedding not her own--that of her pie vendor friend, Linda McMahon, to
Navy SEAL Drew Forsythe. The ceremony is to be held at Bailey's, the farmer's market where Becca and Linda work
outside Monson, S.C. Becca once again turns sleuth after Drew's much disliked bank owner mother, Madeline, fails to
show at the rehearsal dinner and is later found strangled in her bedroom. Suspects include Forsythe family members
and unhappy bank clients who've received bogus foreclosure letters. Police officer Sam Brion wholeheartedly supports
Becca as she snoops her way toward the less than surprising but still satisfying conclusion. Spunky Becca should
appeal to fans of Laura Child and Joanne Fluke. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Fruit of All Evil." Publishers Weekly, 17 Jan. 2011, p. 34. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA247529514&it=r&asid=66e2bf7ae1877a3cc6716700ac0ae66d.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A247529514
QUOTED: "Prolific Shelton ... kicks off a new series featuring a sleuth who’ll delight book lovers, a so-so mystery, and Edinburgh in the starring role."
THE CRACKED SPINE
by Paige Shelton
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KIRKUS REVIEW
Taking a leap of faith, an archivist moves to Scotland for an exciting job opportunity.
Delaney Nichols knows she’s not in Kansas anymore when she has trouble understanding the speech of Elias, the friendly cab driver who delivers her to an Edinburgh bookstore. She soon meets her fellow workers at The Cracked Spine: Hamlet, a young student with a troubled past, and elderly Rosie, who greets her with delight. Their employer, wealthy Edwin MacAlister, specializes in rare books and manuscripts and has a locked room in his shop filled with treasures sadly in need of cataloging. The next day, Edwin takes Delaney along to a private auction where he and a small group of friends bid on rare objects. When they arrive, Edwin expects to see his sister, Jenny, a drug addict he’s tried to help by bolstering her self-esteem, though letting her keep his recent buy of the fantastically rare and valuable Shakespeare First Folio may not have been such a wise idea. Delaney has a mystical relationship with books, whose characters talk to her, and she’s thrilled to work with Edwin’s valuable collection in his private warehouse. But all that falls by the wayside when Jenny is found brutally murdered and the Folio, which Edwin doesn’t mention to the police, vanishes. The official suspects include Hamlet and various denizens of the house in the sketchy area where Jenny lived with other addicts. Delaney hastens to investigate with some help from Elias and his wife, who are now her landlords, and moral support from a handsome pub owner who looks oh so good in a kilt. Her curiosity takes her into danger that’s as predictable as the First Folio’s disappearance.
Prolific Shelton (If Onions Could Spring Leeks, 2015) kicks off a new series featuring a sleuth who’ll delight book lovers, a so-so mystery, and Edinburgh in the starring role.
Pub Date: March 29th, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-250-05748-8
Page count: 320pp
Publisher: Minotaur
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10th, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15th, 2016
Posted on Wed, Apr 27, 2011 : 6 a.m.
Cozy Corner: 'Fruit of All Evil' by Paige Shelton, a great farmers' market series
By Lisa Allmendinger
Fruit of All Evil
A Farmer’s Market Mystery
By Paige Shelton
Paperback, 290 pages, $7.99
With the reopening of most local farmers’ markets in May, this mystery series is a must-read for cozy fans who frequent these wonderful venues.
Paige Shelton not only weaves a terrific tale in this Farmers’ Market series but also has a tight grasp on the family of vendors who meet once or twice a week across the country in markets large and small.
“Fruit of All Evil,” is the second in this outstanding series that features sisters Allison Reynolds, the market manager, and Becca Robins, a jam and preserve vendor at Bailey’s Market, which like the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market, is open year-round.
fruitofallevil.jpg
Set in South Carolina, this series will take you inside the lives of the farmers and artists who make a living selling their fresh and handmade creations. You might even find a composite of several of your favorite vendors in these characters.
In the second of this enjoyable series, Becca is asked to organize a quick wedding for a good friend and fellow vendor, Linda McMahon, whose fiancé is reporting for duty in parts unknown in just five days. And, she wants a farmers’ market themed wedding at Bailey’s.
“Laura dressed like a character from a Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and for seven years had sold homemade fruit pies from a stall next to mine,” Becca says.
Linda’s marrying a Navy Seal from a local well-to-do banking family but before the ceremony can take place, her future, rather unpopular, mother-in-law is murdered, which puts a bit of a crimp in the wedding plans. And adds to the number of suspects when it’s discovered that several market vendors have received foreclosure notices on their farms.
Meanwhile, Becca’s suffering from “a big lump of commitment phobia that clogged her throat,” when it came to Ian Cartwright, an artist she’d met at the market and had been dating. She’s much better at growing strawberries and pumpkins and turning them into jams and preserves than she is at relationships.
For readers who remember when the milk man delivered milk, butter and ice cream to your home, this book will remind you of days gone by.
And there’s a hilarious inquisitive calf encounter, too.
This series is not only farm fresh but also fantastically fun. You’ll want to read “Farm Fresh Murder,” the first in the series, while munching on locally produced products, and there are recipes included. Does it get any better than that?
Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com who writes a weekly book review column, Cozy Corner, which appears every Wednesday.
QUOTED: "If you like a good cozy mystery, there are lots of reasons to choose this one. Paige Shelton does an excellent job with the second book in the Farmers' Market series. Fruit of All Evil has it all. Great plot line, quirky and interesting characters, humor and even a touch of romance."
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Review: Fruit of All Evil
Fruit of All Evil (Farmers' Market Mystery - Book 2) by Paige Shelton
Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 304pp
ISBN-13: 9780425240229
ISBN: 0425240223
(Received for review from Berkley/Obsidian)
Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Paige Shelton on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook
Excerpt from From Fruit of All Evil
Synopsis (Book Blurb):
Becca Robins sells her farm-made jams and preserves at the local farmers' market to make a living. But when a local lovely decides to tie the knot at the same market, someone else decides to make a killing...
With all the sweet spreads she turns out, Becca should be used to having her hands full of sticky situations. So when her best friend and fellow market vendor, Linda, asks her to be maid of honor at her wedding. Becca figures she can handle the extra duties. After all, setting up a wedding with a farmers' market theme should be a piece of cake.
But when Linda's future mother-in-law ends up murdered before the "I dos" are even exchanged, both the nuptials and the fate of a missing local merchant are on the line. And only Becca has the down home know-how to shut the lid on a canny killer...
Thoughts:
Fruit of All Evil, the second book in Paige Shelton's Farmers' Market Mystery series, will have readers feeling like 'spring has sprung'! Shelton's sophomore book is a great mix of mystery and humor, with a quirky supporting cast and a plot line that will leave readers wanting more. Shelton's ability to describe the setting as well as the produce in this book, is almost mouth-watering. Readers will find this cozy interesting and full of surprises.
Becca Robin's is back along with all her friends from Bailey's Farmers' Market. The jams and preserves that Becca sells at her stall at the market are second to none in this small South Carolina town. When her friend and fellow vendor, Linda asks her to be the maid of honor in her Farmers' Market themed wedding, Becca is quick to say yes, though her own experiences will marriage have been less than perfect. When Linda and her fiance Drew invite Becca to dinner to work on wedding plans, they are surprised when Linda's future mother-in-law, Madeleine fails to attend. Madeleine is later found dead in her bedroom. As the local banker who has been dead set on foreclosing on several people's mortgages, Madeleine has many enemies including her own dysfunctional extended family. As Becca's relationship with Ian Cartwright starts to bloom it is up to her to find the killer before her best friends wedding has to be canceled.
If you like a good cozy mystery, there are lots of reasons to choose this one. Paige Shelton does an excellent job with the second book in the Farmers' Market series. Fruit of All Evil has it all. Great plot line, quirky and interesting characters, humor and even a touch of romance.
One of the aspects of this book that I really love is the setting. Bailey's Farmers' Market comes across as the place to be. With it's small town atmosphere and engaging townspeople it seems like a place that readers would want to visit, or even sell their own wares at. I was raised on a farm where we grew a lot of different kinds of produce, sold lots of things to the local fruit market and even canned our own food, including making jams, and jellies, so this series really holds a special spot for me. I thought the author did a fantastic job of describing this setting and what it takes to make up a farmer's market. I loved the idea of a Farmers' Market themed wedding, though I was a little unsure how they were going to pull it off, but I was not disappointed.
The author did a great job of showing how Becca, the local amateur sleuth ended up being involved in this mystery. Being the maid of honor in the wedding provided a way for Becca to be a part of the action. It was a very easy transition and worked out well for the plot. It allowed Becca to know the victim as well as her family which provided a great suspect list. It seemed very believable and natural that she would start to put things together and find out who had a motive for murder.
Becca is a great character. I found myself sympathizing with her romantic situation. She was easy to relate to, because many people have been unlucky in love. I was rooting for her with Ian and I hope that the author continues to develop their relationship in subsequent books. Becca is at heart a great cook and I think author must be as well. You can't really write well about food and cooking if you can't cook your self. The recipes included with this one are definitely mouth-watering and some I intend to try myself. I thought Becca's way of figuring out the clues was a little bit hap-hazard but all in all she got where she needed to be and brought the reader right along with her.
I would definitely recommend this one to all of cozy mystery readers. This is a great series and look forward to more Farmers' Market books in the future. If you are new to cozy mysteries, this would also be a great series to start out with it. It will give you good idea of what a cozy is and how it is different from other mysteries. It is basically a lighter, less intense kind of mystery, that has an amateur sleuth as the protagonist instead of an inspector or a police officer.
Fruit of All Evil is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
QUOTED: "Bushel Full of Murder is a well written, action packed, thrilling mystery. The characters are fun, diverse and well developed."
"Reading Bushel Full of Murder is like coming home, while it is still as fresh as a just picked tomato. This installment of the superb series is as great as all the others and even better."
BUSHEL FULL OF MURDER (FARMER’S MARKET MYSTERY, #6) BY PAIGE SHELTON: BOOK REVIEW
by Mary Brown, June 11, 2015
Bushel Full of Murder (Farmers’ Market #6)
Author: Paige Shelton
ISBN13: 9780425279809
Author website: http://www.paigeshelton.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
The New York Times bestselling author of Merry Market Murder returns to Bailey’s Farmers’ Market where Becca Robins must get her cousin out of a jam…
This summer, Becca is looking forward to selling her delicious jams and preserves, but things are changing fast at the farmers’ market. A fleet of food trucks has arrived for a two week visit, peddling cupcakes, tacos, chicken wings, and more—including a gourmet hot dog truck operated by Becca’s own cousin, Peyton.
Tensions between truck operators and market vendors over their required licenses reach a crescendo when the town’s business manager is murdered. With Peyton already under suspicion of stealing money and a secret recipe from the restaurant where she worked in Arizona, the cops start grilling her as their prime suspect. Now it’s up to Becca to clear her cousin and find out who at the market gave themselves a license to kill…
23398613 Review:
Bushel Full of Murder is Paige Shelton’s newest release in her Farmers’ Market cozy mystery series. The main character, Becca Robins, is in for a big surprise when Bailey’s Farmers’ Market hosts food trucks for the next two weeks. The even bigger surprise is the arrival of her cousin Peyton and her hot dog truck. Before Peyton even arrives, an old friend shows up from Becca’s time in Arizona. Harry is one big law man and even his friendship with Becca cannot stop him from searching for his quarry. His suspect in an assault and robbery that happened in Arizona just happens to be cousin Peyton. Harry is convinced she did it, but agrees to let Becca help in the investigation. All signs point to Peyton’s guilt and maybe that is someone else’s doing. Becca introduces her love Sam to Harry and they hit it off right away. Things really put Becca’s love and her good friend Harry together when a murder occurs and Peyton is not only at the scene of the crime, but also the prime suspect of the murder.
Bushel Full of Murder is a well written, action packed, thrilling mystery. The characters are fun, diverse and well developed. With two separate mysteries being investigated at the same time, by two different jurisdictions and Becca, there still seems to be only one person who fits the bill for as the guilty party in both. Becca and her sister Market manager Allison search for answers and other suspects. Their search is entertaining and enticing as well as fruitful. The wonderful characters are as amusing as always in Paige Shelton’s Farmers’ Market Mystery series. Reading Bushel Full of Murder is like coming home, while it is still as fresh as a just picked tomato. This installment of the superb series is as great as all the others and even better. Love the sentimental and heartwarming events (no spoiler here though). There are plenty of if new suspects, a few red herrings and circumstances that intrigue and mislead. The storyline is entertaining and captivating. Paige Shelton’s writing style is exciting while at the same time endearing. I feel like I am hanging out with good friends when I get to pay a visit to Munson and Bailey’s Farmers’ Market.
This book is the 6th in this enchanting series. I do not think you need to read them in order to thoroughly enjoy this delightful book. But really they are all great so why not treat yourself. This is a fresh and tasty cozy that would appeal to any fan of the genre. Well written, full of action, intriguing mysteries, great characters and interesting twists and turns make Bushel Full of Murder a true winner. For those that have read all of this series, I think you will truly love this newest installment. I cannot wait for the next in this entertaining cozy series. Exciting happens await I am sure!!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
QUOTED: "Paige Shelton has topped herself this time."
"With A Bushel Full of Murder she has given us a fabulous mystery with many twists and turns. ... The plotting is top notch. This is a perfect summer read."
Review/Giveaway – Bushel Full of Murder by Paige Shelton
Cruisin Thru Cozies, Giveaways, Reviews 2015, You Read How Many Books Challenge
Jun
19
2015
bushel full of murderBushel Full of Murder
(A Farmers’ Market Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – South Carolina
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (June 2, 2015)
Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Dan Craig
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425279809
E-Book ASIN: B00OQSF6RY
goodreads-badge-add-plus
The New York Times bestselling author of Merry Market Murder returns to Bailey’s Farmers’ Market where Becca Robins must get her cousin out of a jam…
This summer, Becca is looking forward to selling her delicious jams and preserves, but things are changing fast at the farmers’ market. A fleet of food trucks has arrived for a two week visit, peddling cupcakes, tacos, chicken wings, and more—including a gourmet hot dog truck operated by Becca’s own cousin, Peyton.
Tensions between truck operators and market vendors over their required licenses reach a crescendo when the town’s business manager is murdered. With Peyton already under suspicion of stealing money and a secret recipe from the restaurant where she worked in Arizona, the cops start grilling her as their prime suspect. Now it’s up to Becca to clear her cousin and find out who at the market gave themselves a license to kill…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I love my trips to Bailey’s Farm Market. This time we meet Peyton, Becca and Allison’s cousin, when she brings her hot dog food truck to town. She joins 4 other food trucks from around the country that are visiting the Farm Market as part of marketing campaign. Plus Harry (Talking Trees) is in town from Arizona. Becca met him there when she visited the General Buffalo’s Trading Post the previous summer when he was investigating a murder. Peyton had come from Arizona too….
The food truck vendors also bring a local banker and the town’s business manager to Bailey’s. When the business manager is murdered the police tie it together with Harry’s investigation. Becca can’t help but get involved as her friends and her cousins become suspects in his murder.
HOT DOG! Paige Shelton has topped herself this time. She has both Becca and Allison trying to prove their cousin is innocent so technically they are not investigating the murder. This was a great twist. Sam and Harry even share some information with them.
This has become one of my favorite series because of these characters. Becca has a curious nature that plays well as she sticks her nose into the investigations. Allison is more pragmatic when any trouble comes to town. Sam, a fine police officer, loves Becca but knows she can’t help herself when anyone close to her is threatened or hurt and he does everything he can to keep her safe. Add to that the girl’s parents and all the vendors at the Market with all their unique personalities and you have an awesome cast of characters.
With A Bushel Full of Murder she has given us a fabulous mystery with many twists and turns. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop. The plotting is top notch.
This is a perfect summer read. My only compliant was that I was craving hot dogs and other food truck fare throughout the entire story. 🙂 I have already copied all the recipes from the back of the book and now have a new gourmet way to grill hot dogs.
a perfect escape5 STARFISH
Dollycas
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
About Paige Shelton
Paige Shelton is the national bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market Mysteries and the Country Cooking School Mysteries. She’s lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Paige enjoys reading, listening to music from the 80s, and watching way too many zombie movies with her husband and son.
QUOTED: "A more complex and descriptive novel would be hard to find, let alone set aside for chores or sleep. Compelling characters and unique situations keep the reader's interest, and Ms. Shelton does a good job inserting historical pieces into the storyline."
4 Stars
Author: Paige Shelton
Review by: Kittybooboo13
Genre: Suspense
Tags:
* Susp: Mystery
* Susp: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Berkley
If Onions Could Spring Leeks
Country Cooking School Mystery, #5
This novel delves in deep and fast in the beginning and gets faster as time goes on. Ms. Shelton did a great job with "If Onions Could Spring Leeks"; so outstanding was her novel, this reader was able to quickly assimilate the history from the previous novels with little fanfare.
Betts and Gram are the two "Ghost Whisperers" in Broken Rope: a tourist Old West town. Gram is plagued with violent nightmares concerning an unfortunate demise. Betts notes these visitors coincide with the advent of the ghost train. It's a busy summer for Betts as a Derek Rowlett's dead body is discovered in the old barn behind Bunny's Restaurant. Now Betts needs to help a few ghosts lay to eternal rest before it's her turn.
A more complex and descriptive novel would be hard to find, let alone set aside for chores or sleep. Compelling characters and unique situations keep the reader's interest, and Ms. Shelton does a good job inserting historical pieces into the storyline. About the only downside to this novel is the beginning as Ms. Shelton does a good job of dropkicking the reader into the dark side of ghosts and murders with minimal background from her previous novel in this series. Last, the onion recipes in back look interesting; while I haven't yet tried one, I'm quickly gathering the ingredients for one of those recipes. So, enjoy the novel and have fun with the recipes!
Book Blurb for If Onions Could Spring Leeks
The New York Times bestselling author of If Catfish Had Nine Lives returns to Broken Rope, Missouri, where ghosts of the Old West seek assistance from country cooks and amateur sleuths Betts Winston and her grandmother.
With summer tourists flocking to Broken Rope, locals volunteer to keep chaos to a minimum. Old West skits are running smoothly, actors are behaving, and stagecoach rides are more popular than ever, but when a spectral visitor appears by ghost train, it’s a job only Betts and Gram can handle.
Gram soon starts having nightmares about their ghostly visitor’s demise. And if a ghost and the hot summer weather weren’t making things sticky enough, one of the town’s volunteers—a man notorious for having more than his fair share of ex-wives—is murdered. When Jerome, Bett’s otherworldly friend, makes an unsettling appearance, this simmering double mystery becomes a recipe for disaster.
Includes delicious recipes!
Night Owl Reviews Sep, 2015 4.00
QUOTED: "IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS is a fascinating cozy mystery with two mysteries unfolding -- one in the present day and one in Broken Rope's past."
"IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS is easily recommended."
If Onions Could Spring Leeks
Paige Shelton
Reviewed by Debbie Wiley
Posted August 21, 2015
Mystery Cozy | Mystery Paranormal
Betts Winston and her grandmother have the ability to communicate with ghosts. In between their jobs with Broken Rope's Old West tourist attractions and Gram's country cooking school, Betts and Gram try to uncover what is going on with the various ghosts they encounter. Meanwhile, someone in the town of Broken Rope has committed murder. Betts will have her hands full if she hopes to figure out exactly what is going on.
IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS is the fifth book in the Country Cooking School series. We aren't given a lot of back history about the ghost, Jerome Cowbender, or the various live residents and their relationships. Meanwhile, the ghosts in Broken Rope, Missouri, are starting to do some new and different things, even for readers familiar with the series. For a reader new to the series (like me), it takes a little bit of time to fully absorb Paige Shelton's world as it has a surprising amount of depth. Once I became acclimated, however, I loved Paige Shelton's world and I've already downloaded the first book in the Country Cooking School series to dive further into it.
I love the concept of an Old West tourist attraction blurring to allow ghostly presences to come through and re-enact their pasts. Jake is perhaps my favorite character as his role as an archivist helps the reader see what lurid stories lurk in Broken Rope's past. The relationship between Betts and Cliff is a little awkward, especially with Betts continuously kissing the ghostly presence of Jerome. I suspect readers more familiar with the other books in the Country Cooking School series won't have that same issues as they'll have a better understanding of the relationships.
IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS is a fascinating cozy mystery with two mysteries unfolding -- one in the present day and one in Broken Rope's past. I love how Paige Shelton weaves the ghosts into her world seamlessly, as they feel like part of the town rather than just an added paranormal twist. I can't wait to visit some more with the residents (both living and ghostly) of Broken Rope. IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS is easily recommended!
Learn more about If Onions Could Spring Leeks
SUMMARY
The New York Times bestselling author of If Catfish Had Nine Lives returns to Broken Rope, Missouri, where ghosts of the Old West seek assistance from country cooks and amateur sleuths Betts Winston and her grandmother.
With summer tourists flocking to Broken Rope, locals volunteer to keep chaos to a minimum. Old West skits are running smoothly, actors are behaving, and stagecoach rides are more popular than ever, but when a spectral visitor appears by ghost train, it’s a job only Betts and Gram can handle.
Gram soon starts having nightmares about their ghostly visitor’s demise. And if a ghost and the hot summer weather weren’t making things sticky enough, one of the town’s volunteers—a man notorious for having more than his fair share of ex-wives—is murdered. When Jerome, Bett’s otherworldly friend, makes an unsettling appearance, this simmering double mystery becomes a recipe for disaster.
Includes delicious recipes!
QUOTED: "This is a fun cozy mystery series, and the cowboy-ish setting and ghostly aspects keep the plots fresh."
"Recommended for fans of the series, lovers of food cozies, and those who enjoy a little ghost activity in their cozy mysteries."
IF CATFISH HAD NINE LIVES (GRAM’S COUNTRY COOKING SCHOOL MYSTERY, BOOK #4) BY PAIGE SHELTON: BOOK REVIEW
by hmhibbit, August 11, 2014
cozy_banner
3 Star rating
If Catfish Had Nine Lives
Gram’s Country Cooking School Mystery, Book #4
By Paige Shelton
ISBN# 978-0425269282
Author’s Website: http://www.paigeshelton.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele
if-catfish-had-nine-lives-coutry-cooking-school-paige-sheltonSynopsis:
Betts Winston has inherited more than her cooking skills from her grandmother—she can also see and talk to ghosts of people that once roamed the streets of Broken Rope, Missouri, in the days of the Old West…
With Gram’s Country Cooking School on spring break, Betts and Gram are taking part in this year’s cowboy poetry convention, offering lessons on frying catfish over an open campfire. But when a staged gunfight ends in real death and her brother Teddy becomes a prime suspect, Betts may be the one to jump from the frying pan into the fire.
After her ghostly guardian Jerome appears to watch her back and a spectral Pony Express rider gallops into town with some unfinished business, Broken Rope starts to seem more like a cowboy ghost convention. With trouble on both sides of this mortal coil, it’s up to Betts to clear her brother, put the spirits to rest, and make sure the true killer doesn’t become the one who got away. (Goodreads)
Review:
The cowboy poetry convention has come to the “Old West” town of Broken Rope, and since the cooking school is out for spring break, Betts and Gram pitch in to help with the down time by doing cooking demos and such. But things get off to a rough start when one of the participants is shot during a reenactment skit. Was this some kind of freak accident? With so many visitors in town for the convention, the local law enforcement has their hands full. Betts’ brother, Teddy, quickly falls under suspicion after he is seen arguing with Norman, the victim, the night before his death. But, Norman may not be who he claims to be. Could he have been up to no good? Esther, another convention participant also has a secondary agenda. She is looking for answers about what happened to her many great grandfather when he disappeared near Broken Rope while riding his pony express route. In addition to this “living” mystery, the ghost of a pony express rider appears, needing help to deliver his letters to the addressee’s descendents. He goes by Joe, but could he be Esther’s forefather, Astin? Betts embroils herself both present and past mysteries in an effort to clear Teddy and get to the bottom of things, and she knows she is on the right track when her “guardian ghost” Jerome appears to protect her from danger.
This is a fun cozy mystery series, and the cowboy-ish setting and ghostly aspects keep the plots fresh. Gram, Jerome, and Betts’ best friend Jake are my favorite characters, but Gram does not play prominently in this installment. The genealogy thread was interesting, and I liked the mingling of the two mysteries’ themes. I understand Betts’ need to keep her paranormal abilities a secret, but I wish she would be honest about them with her boyfriend. Also, her “romance” with Jerome is obviously doomed and a bit odd, but it keeps things from getting boring.
Recommended for fans of the series, lovers of food cozies, and those who enjoy a little ghost activity in their cozy mysteries.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
QUOTED: "If Catfish Had Nine Lives is an enjoyable read overall; the concept is unique, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are entertaining and relatively full-fleshed. If you’re hankering for a fair-play mystery, though, you may want to steer clear."
Review ☆ If Catfish Had Nine Lives by Paige Shelton September 27, 2014
ifcatfishhadninelives
Betts Winston has inherited more than her cooking skills from her grandmother—she can also see and talk to ghosts of people that once roamed the streets of Broken Rope, Missouri, in the days of the Old West…
With Gram’s Country Cooking School on spring break, Betts and Gram are taking part in this year’s cowboy poetry convention, offering lessons on frying catfish over an open campfire. But when a staged gunfight ends in real death and her brother Teddy becomes a prime suspect, Betts may be the one to jump from the frying pan into the fire.
After her ghostly guardian Jerome appears to watch her back and a spectral Pony Express rider gallops into town with some unfinished business, Broken Rope starts to seem more like a cowboy ghost convention. With trouble on both sides of this mortal coil, it’s up to Betts to clear her brother, put the spirits to rest, and make sure the true killer doesn’t become the one who got away.
Includes Recipes!
review-sheilabold
For fans of: Alice Kimberly
It’s April – hardly the height of tourist season in Missouri, so in an effort to increase foot traffic, the town of Broken Rope is hosting a cowboy poetry convention. Campsites have been set up, dozens of activities have been planned, and since Gran’s Country Cooking School is on break, Gran and Betts have agreed to teach a couple of outdoor cooking classes.
At first, the convention looks to be a success: attendance is great, business in Broken Rope is booming, and everyone’s having a grand old time. But when an actor’s shot and killed during a skit and Betts’ brother Teddy is beaten and left for dead, the citizens of Broken Rope are forced to wonder if one of their visitors is taking the town’s Wild West theme a bit too seriously…
If Catfish Had Nine Lives is the fourth of Paige Shelton’s Country Cooking School Mysteries. If you’re a fan of this series, you know that each installment features two mysteries – one involving a ghost from Broken Rope’s past, and one involving a present-day murder. The ghost Shelton chose to highlight in this particular tale is that of a Pony Express rider named Joe. It seems Joe met a tragic end before he was able to complete his route, and he can’t pass on until he delivers the letters that remain in his pouch. A cute idea, right? And one of which Shelton takes nice advantage, using the letters to round out the back stories of some of her supporting characters and the ghost to educate her readers regarding the history of the Pony Express. Unfortunately, though, the big ghost-related twist Shelton reveals during the book’s denouement is both preposterous and unearned, leaving the reader feeling cheated and confused. Add to that the fact that the solution to Shelton’s modern whodunit is also a tad convoluted, and you have a book that’s twenty-six chapters of fast-paced fun, and two chapters of “I want to throw this book across the room.”
If Catfish Had Nine Lives is an enjoyable read overall; the concept is unique, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are entertaining and relatively full-fleshed. If you’re hankering for a fair-play mystery, though, you may want to steer clear.
Reviewed by Kat