First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Zigzag Girl by Ruth Knafo Setton

 

Today, I am reviewing the first chapter of the mystery/thriller Zigzag Girl by Ruth Knafo Setton, currently on tour with Partners in Crime Tours.

BLURB: Zigzag Girl, by Ruth Knafo Setton, is a twisty contemporary mystery with a touch of magic, set in Atlantic City and the eerie New Jersey Pine Barrens. Lucy Moon, a brilliant young magician with a mysterious past, works in the town’s theatre, staging performances of enchantment and conjure. But one night, during the ‘Sawing a Woman in Half’ trick, Lucy discovers her friend’s body in the box, dead. As Lucy digs deeper, she uncovers a trail of murders and suspects. With the help of a fierce group of female magicians and mystics, she must expose the truth before she becomes the final act.

COVER: What a great cover! Love the colors and images. The font is neat, with that slice through the letters meant to symbolize the sawing trick, and the orange tag line stands out nicely against the green. 

FIRST CHAPTER: After an intense prologue, the story opens twenty-four years later in Atlantic City. On opening night, Lucy and Stormie are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their other co-star, Van, who should have been there two hours earlier. But Lucy knows Van wouldn't miss this night for the world. What has happened to her?

KEEP READING: With tight writing, unique characters, and its cliffhanger ending, the opening chapter of ZigZag Girl is definitely one that makes me want to continue. The prologue has me a bit disturbed about how dark this story is going to get. Still, Lucy is a strong narrator and intriguing. I plan to keep going. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Spring Crime
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 3, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1917788037
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1917788038
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I received a digital copy of this book to review from Partners in Crime Tours. This First Chapter Review includes my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

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Real Magic Awaits: A Giveaway That's Not an Illusion 🎩

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Ruth Knafo Setton. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Zigzag Girl by Ruth Knafo Setton | Gift Card

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here! 

Book Review: Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron

 

Cozy mystery lovers are going to want to check out Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron, the fourth book in the Vintage Cookbook Mystery series. 

When Ricki James-Diaz's boyfriend invites her parents to New Orleans, she has no idea her parents will wind up being suspects in a murder tied to a secret from her mother's past. As Ricki juggles the busiest shopping season of the year at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, a community-inspired cookbook project, and a budding romance while trying to find a killer to clear her parents' names, it's a good thing that the staff of Bon Vee and her friends have her back. 

Before I get into my review, I have to give a shout-out to cover and jacket designer Nick May. What a fabulous, colorful, and fun cover he created for Crescent City Christmas Chaos. This is one of my favorite book covers of 2025. 

As readers dive into Crescent City Christmas Chaos, they discover Ricki is still on the hunt for her biological mother. Meanwhile, the shop is as busy as ever with holiday shoppers. When her boyfriend, Virgil Morel, announces he is making his first solo TV cooking show special, this brings Ricki's father, Luis, back to New Orleans to be Virgil's camera operator. Thrilled to have her parents in town, this will give her the excuse to pry more details about her adoption from her mother. But when Phyllis Gibbs, the woman who helped Josepha adopt Ricki decades ago, is found dead, Ricki's parents become the primary suspects once it is discovered she had been blackmailing Josepha. This leads Ricki and a supporting cast of characters to search for the real killer. 

Thankfully, Byron included a cast of characters broken down by who they are and where they work, because there are a ton, and I sometimes found it challenging to keep track of them all. This is a fun, light mystery with engaging characters, a fabulous setting, and a solid plot. Though this is the fourth novel in the series, it can stand on its own, and I don't feel anything is lost--except backstory--by reading this novel by itself. It's easy to see why Byron has won awards for her mysteries. I look forward to reading more from her.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 4, 2025
• Edition ‏ : ‎ Main
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 144831318X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448313181
• 
  

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Book Review: Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown

Wedding planning, a dead body or two, a plethora of suspects, and a whole lot of southern food and charm are to be found in Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown.

All Reagan Summerside wants to do is put her history of finding dead bodies behind her and focus on her upcoming wedding to Walker Boone. Alas, dead bodies seem to get in her way. When the body of a resident from Pines Retirement Center is found in the Abbot sisters' pink Caddy and another recently deceased resident of the Pines may have swindled the sisters out of some money, they quickly become primary suspects. It will be up to Reagan, Boone, Auntie Kiki, Bruce Willis and their good friends to uncover the truth.

This series keeps getting better and better. Brown really outdid herself with this latest Consignment Shop mystery. Some of these things could only happen to Reagan Summerside! The great thing is that this masterful storyteller keeps it fresh while making the reader feel right at home with so many familiar faces. She develops her characters well and you learn a little bit more about each of them as the series progresses. Reagan's mother is becoming my favorite.

I'm still jealous that Brown can keep me guessing all the way to the end. Oh, how I wish I could write a mystery like that. There are so many twists and turns. People are on the suspect list. They are off the list. New people are added to the list. I rarely guess the culprit until it's revealed.

Lethal in Old Lace is another perfect and fun cozy mystery by Duffy Brown.

Highly recommended!


Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (March 13, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683315359
ISBN-13: 978-1683315353


I received a digital copy from the author through Netgalley. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Cozy Mystery Spotlight: Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder by Mary Cunningham

Andi’s step-mother is a real piece of work! But is Ruby a murderer?

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent/amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a 60th birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will lead to the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby will be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with the charming local sheriff, Manual Rodriquez. After an embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, a chance to check out an eyewitness to the murder leads her to Las Vegas.

In Vegas, a mysterious meeting in the Bodies Exhibition, a body preserving in the prep-room, and an evasive owner of a dance studio, give Andi clues to help Ruby. But when Andi is mercilessly drugged and locked in a storage room, she realizes dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.

Praise for Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder!

“If Evanovich's Stephanie Plum were a travel agent, she'd fit right in working this case alongside Andi, a wanna-be detective readers are sure to love.” —Regan Black, USA Today bestselling author of the Escape Club Heroes and Knight Traveler novels.

“Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder...WOW. Snappy dialog, quirky characters, opens with a curious bang and yanked me through the pages. A fun, fantastic read.” —Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling author, Piper Blackwell Mysteries.

“A strong start to a new cozy mystery series by author Mary Cunningham. Andi Anna is one crazy and clever sleuth.” —Cheryl C. Malandrinos, The Book Connection

“Grab a margarita and hold on tight; you're in for a wild ride.”

—Karen MacInerney, Agatha Award nominee and author of the Dewberry Farms Mysteries

“An intoxicating mix of laughter, kooky characters, and a yummy setting.”

—Joanna Campbell Slan, bestselling/award-winning author of the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series

“A zany murder mystery with a touch of romance and a handful of humor.”

—Nancy J. Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries

“Charming, lively, and unpredictable, Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder excels in a vivid story mystery fans will relish.”—Diane Donovan, Senior Editor Midwest Book Review

“Margaritas, Mayhem, and Murder is a madcap comedy mystery, rich with colorful characters and snappy one-liners. A heroine named Andi Anna Jones is destined for exotic misadventure.”

—Dana Taylor, author and winner of Golden Quill Awards Best First Book (Ain't Love Grand)

Purchase Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076N6KBM3

B & N Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/margaritas-mayhem-murder-mary-cunningham/1127355519

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/756600

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mary_Cunningham_Margaritas_Mayhem_Murder?id=0jU8DwAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/margaritas-mayhem-murder

Author, Mary Cunningham, grew on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn”.

Childhood experiences, and a recurring dream about a mysterious attic, inspired characters, Cynthia and Augusta Lee, for her award-winning middle-grade series, Cynthia's Attic. The setting is in her childhood home in Southern Indiana. Family stories and ancestors comprise the storylines. There are currently five books in the series: The Missing Locket, The Magic Medallion, Curse of the Bayou, The Magician’s Castle, and Legend of Lupin Woods.

Through a horrifying stint as a travel agent and more rewarding experience teaching travel and tourism, the character, Andi Anna Jones, travel agent/amateur sleuth, inspired her latest adult mystery series. She’s currently writing Book # 2 of the series, along with another middle-grade series, The Adventures of Max and Maddie, a historical time-travel.

Cunningham is a member of The Georgia Reading Association, and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband and adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.

Find Mary on Social Media:

Website: https://www.marycunninghambooks.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/marycunninghambooks/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MaryCunningham

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gus65/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycunningham1/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/367223.Mary_Cunningham

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLNEK4

Book Spotlight: Death Comes by Sue Hallgarth

Death Comes gives us another glimpse into the life and work of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and her talented life partner. The year is 1926. Willa and Edith return to Mabel Dodge Luhan’s pink adobe in Taos, New Mexico. Willa is writing Death Comes for the Archbishop. Edith is sketching Taos Pueblo and hoping for a visit to the nearby D.H. Lawrence ranch. The previous summer they had stumbled onto a woman’s body. Now the headless bodies of two women add to the mystery. Sue Hallgarth presents an intimate portrait of Cather, Lewis, the spectacular New Mexico landscape, and the famous artists and writers Mabel Dodge Luhan gathered in Taos.

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35541265-death-comes

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2wBm4ac

Sue Hallgarth is former English professor. She has written scholarly articles on Willa Cather and Edith Lewis, and this is her second book of fiction featuring the two of them. Her first book in the series On The Rocks, set in 1929 on the island of Grand Manan in New Brunswick, Canada. She lives in Corrales, New Mexico.

Blog Tour Schedule:

Oct. 11: The Book Connection (Book Spotlight)

Oct. 12: Debra Smouse (Review)

Oct. 14: Teddy Rose Book Reviews and Plus More (Book Spotlight/Giveaway)

Oct. 17: Jorie Loves A Story (Review On the Rocks)

Oct. 18: Jorie Loves A Story (Review Death Comes)

Oct. 19: Modern Creative Life (Interview)

Oct. 25: Silver's Reviews (Book Spotlight/Giveaway)

Oct. 30: Diary of an Eccentric (Guest Post)

Nov. 2: Jorie Loves A Story (Interview)

Nov. 4: Svetlana's Views and Reviews (Review)

Nov. 6: CelticLady's Reviews (Book Spotlight)

Nov. 8: Donna’s Book Reviews (Review)

New Release: Dog Dish of Doom by E. J. Cooperman

The start of a great new series, Dog Dish of Doom (Minotaur Books, August 15th, $24.99) stars amateur sleuth Kay Powell. A talent agent for show biz animals, Kay discovers she has a talent of her own: solving crimes.

Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she’s found him: His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day.

Bruno’s humans, Trent and Louise, butt in a lot, and Les McMaster, the famous director now mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can’t stand Trent in particular.

That becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno’s water dish. With a kitchen knife in his back.

Laugh-out-loud funny, this series debut is a delight.

Praise for E. J. Copperman’s DOG DISH OF DOOM:

“Admirers of old comedy sketches and anyone looking for a laugh-out-loud mystery should pick up this series launch by Copperman.”

—Library Journal (STARRED)

"Readers will root for Kay to be more than pals with Sam Gibson, proprietor of Cool Beans coffee house—and, of course, to keep Bruno as more than a client. [Filled with] resilient, warm, funny supporting players."

—Publishers Weekly

"Well-drawn characters, including a heroine who talks directly to the reader, and effectively framed with details of the theater enhance this humorous cozy."

—Booklist

PURCHASE YOUR COPY AT...

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

KOBO

EBOOKS.COM

GOOGLE PLAY

INDIEBOUND.ORG

E.J. COPPERMAN is someone you could sit down and have a beer with, if that’s your thing. Or a hot chocolate. Or a diet soda. Actually, you can have anything you want as long as you don’t care what E.J. is drinking.

E.J. is the author of a number of mystery series: Agent to the Paws begins with Dog Dish of Doom and other series include the Haunted Guesthouse mysteries, Asperger’s mysteries, and Mysterious Detective mysteries.