Cozy mystery – Page 3 – Jackie Layton

Axe Me No Questions

January 20, 2025 Jackie Layton

Dawna’s back with friends and family in Axe Me No Questions. It’s a delightful follow-up to Hammers and Homicides in A Hometown Hardware Mystery series.

I was able to read and ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of Axe Me No Questions, and I was riveted. I love the characters, the small-town vibe, and trying to solve the mystery with the twists and turns Paula Charles throws at the reader.

When a dead body is found, Dawna is back to sleuthing. What an adventure it is.

The eBook will be released on January 28, and here’s a link to preorder it. https://www.amazon.com/Axe-Me-Questions-Paula-Charles-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2PF8?ref_=ast_author_mpb

In case you’re wondering, I’ll give this 5 stars on Goodreads.

Why Read Cozy Mysteries?

November 18, 2024October 31, 2024 Jackie Layton

I recently talked to a group and not everyone was familiar with cozy mysteries.

I explained some of the fun aspects of cozies.

Small communities make good settings for cozy mysteries. They can be real or fictional. I created Heyward Beach for A Low Country Dog Walker series, Lutz, Texas for a Texas Flower Farmer series, and Fox Island for An Organized Crime series. In these tight-knit communities, my amateur sleuths feel comfortable asking people questions about the crime.

Most cozy mysteries include pets. I have dogs in all my books because I love dogs. (I’m allergic to cats, but they make appearances.)

Earlier this year, I was on a panel and our theme was Romcozies. Romantic cozy mysteries. The books have a romantic thread, but it’s only a thread. The main goal of the cozy mystery is to solve the murder.

There’s one more thing I want to include. Cozy mysteries are clean. There’s no blood and gore, no sex, and no foul language. One reader told me these some of the reasons she reads cozy mysteries.

I’d love the know why you enjoy cozy mysteries.

Cozy mystery

Heather Weidner’s Done it Again

November 11, 2024October 31, 2024 Jackie Layton

Deadlines and Valentines: A Jules Keene Glamping Mystery is the fourth book in Heather’s series, and it’s out now.

Heather is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She’s also a fabulous author, and you don’t want to miss reading this book.

Fern Valley, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is ground zero for all things romance. The town has pulled out all the stops for the first Valentine’s Day “Love is in the Air” Book Festival with events like Death by Chocolate, author speed-dating, a character masquerade, and a male cover model fashion show.

Everything is candy and roses until the sparks start to fly. Jules Keene and her team at the glamping resort spend their time trying to tamp down fiery tempers because opposites may not always attract.

When a popular author with a heart of gold is found murdered in the barn at the resort, Jules has to find the culprit before more than just hearts are broken.

Here’s a link: https://amzn.to/4d8KnPf

Happy reading!

Cozy mystery

Murder at the Painted Wings Cafe

November 1, 2024October 31, 2024 Jackie Layton

I’m excited to share with you Ruth Hartman’s upcoming book. Ruth and I became friends when we were both authors for Dawn Dawdle.

Murder at the Painted Wings Cafe is scheduled to release on November 19. This is the second book in the Senneca James Mystery series.

Seneca James’ cousin, Evie, ends up in hot water, when she’s accused of stealing a wallet from an angry customer in Seneca’s Painted Wings Café. The customer also happens to be the local bank manager, who Evie pleads with for a much-needed loan, resulting in a public spectacle as the bank manager refuses, and ridicules Evie. When the manager later turns up dead inside the cafe, and Evie is the most likely suspect, it will take all of Seneca’s sleuthing and help from her best friend, Sheriff Cody Bales, to get Evie out of trouble.

Here’s a preorder link: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Painted-Wings-Cafe-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DLCSLW3R

Isn’t the cover beautiful? I’m excited to read Ruth’s newest book! Congratulations, Ruth!

Cozy mystery

A Party and Prizes

July 15, 2024July 14, 2024 Jackie Layton

Tonight is the Cozy Mystery Mid Year Party on their Facebook group. Here’s the link. https://www.facebook.com/share/Zq6a1zmWxErn72rK/?mibextid=A7sQZp

If you’re not a member of the group, be sure to join. The party begins at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

I’ll takeover at 7:00 PST which is 10:00 EST. I hope you can join us. It should be fun!

Oh, I’ll be giving away an eBook of Clutter Free.

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.

Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.

I hope you can drop in tonight. Have a great week!

Cozy mystery, Texas

Paperback release Texas Style

July 7, 2024 Jackie Layton

A few weeks ago, I shared the fun of having Advanced Readers Copies of Clover Covered Corpse. We traipsed around Asheville, NC with the ARC. When I heard the paperback was released, I ordered a copy for myself and had it shipped to Texas. We just spent a week in Waco, and once again, we had fun taking pictures of the paperback.

The week we were there, the temperatures hovered around 100, BUT when you added the heat index it was closer to 106. Even so, we had fun visiting the golf course, Magnolia, Fabled, Spice Village, Heritage, Common Grounds, and many more places.

It was a great week. Texas has become a special place to me, and I always enjoy my time there. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

I would love for you to tag me on social media with one of my books. There might even be a prize involved. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor.com

Cozy mystery

Red, White, and Blue? Wait, it’s Dead, White and Blue

July 1, 2024June 18, 2024 Jackie Layton

Congratulations to my friend Annie McEwen on the second book in the Northwoods Mystery series.

It’s the 4th of July in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and no one is more excited than Emmy Cooper. She’s happy to be back in her hometown, settling once again into small-town living and helping her family run Cooper’s Cove, their lake cottage resort. Emmy and her teen crush, police officer Dean Erickson, are enjoying getting reacquainted, while she and bestie Whitney are closer than ever.

Lake Covington and its quaint namesake town are bustling with visitors celebrating during the annual three-day Independence Day Freedom Fest. Everything is Yankee Doodle Dandy until a local man with a reputation for trouble starts fireworks of his own. And the explosions just keep on coming when Emmy stumbles over a dead body at the celebrations!

The dead man is Jordan James, and as Emmy soon finds out, there are no shortage of people who might want him dead. From a jealous jerk to a conniving cousin and even a former friend from his past, suspects are more plentiful than ants at a July picnic! Despite promises to stay out of the investigation, Emmy finds herself smack in the middle of it. Can she and Whitney figure out the truth and find liberty and justice for all?

You can pre-order now, and the book releases on July 2. That’s tomorrow. Congratulations, Annie!

Cozy mystery