Now Available: Never Trifle With Murder - Livia J. Washburn

It’s early summer in Weatherford, Texas, and retired teacher/amateur sleuth Phyllis Newsom and fellow retiree Carolyn Wilbarger are taking British cooking classes at the local senior center in this suspenseful Fresh-Baked mystery.

In the latest from Livia J. Washburn, the nationally bestselling author of the Fresh Baked Mystery Series, Phyllis Newsom learns to make a trifle that’s to die for…

While Sam Fletcher is playing dominoes with the guys, Eve Turner is busy flirting with the English chef since she has a fascination for English accents and handsome men who can cook. This puts her in competition with a couple of other ladies from the senior center, who also have their caps set for Chef Alfred Dorrington.

The third and final class features desserts, and more than the stove heats up when the trifle is poisoned! Once again Phyllis finds herself involved in a murder case filled with hidden motives and colorful characters.

Includes recipes!

(I love these books because I always get to read them before anybody else. And, of course, because they're funny and well-plotted and full of great characters, surprises, and poignant moments. I get to sample the recipes, too! The trade paperback of this one also includes the Fresh Baked Mystery short story "The Coconut Bunny Butt Caper", which was only available digitally until now. NEVER TRIFLE WITH MURDER is also available at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.)

Now Available: Death Bakes a Pecan Pie - Livia J. Washburn

It’s time for the Harvest Festival again, and Phyllis is determined to bake a killer pecan pie.

Hollywood comes to Weatherford, Texas, as a movie company arrives to shoot scenes for a film based on the novel by Phyllis Newsom’s friend Eve. But movie fantasy turns to deadly reality as a murder recreated for film turns out to be the genuine article, and once more Phyllis has to track down a cunning killer to see that justice is done.

DEATH BAKES A PECAN PIE is the fourteenth novel in the critically acclaimed and best-selling Fresh Baked Mystery series. Phyllis and her friends tackle another complex case with all the humor, camaraderie, good-hearted warmth, and delicious recipes that have made readers around the world fall in love with this series.

Recipes included!

Now Available: The Great Chili Kill-Off - Livia J. Washburn

The chili in Texas is red-hot . . . and so is murder! Phyllis, Sam, Carolyn, and Eve head for West Texas to compete in a Fourth of July chili cookoff. Thousands of people have descended on a sleepy little ghost town, turning it into a boomtown for chili mavens, gamblers, musicians, and media. Raucous excitement fills the air, but so does chili when a sabotaged propane cooker explodes, killing the much-hated current champion. The victim leaves behind a tangled trail of sleeping with other men’s wives, cheating at cards – and maybe at chili cooking – and deadly anger. With Sam a possible suspect in the murder, emotions run hot as a bowl of Texas red as Phyllis has to untangle these threads in order to put her finger on the killer! Livia J. Washburn's beloved Fresh Baked Mystery series is back with another novel full of tasty recipes, dastardly doings, and brilliant sleuthing by Phyllis Newsom and her friends. THE GREAT CHILI KILL-OFF is a delicious dish of murder and detection.

Livia's Fresh Baked Mystery series continues with another funny, twisty, fast-paced yarn. I'm hardly an unbiased reader, but I really enjoy these books.

Now Available: The Candy Cane Cupcake Killer - Livia J. Washburn

In the latest from the national bestselling author of Trick or Deadly Treat, Phyllis Newsom returns with a festive Christmas recipe that’s to die for…

‘Tis the season in Weatherford, Texas, and everyone in town is gearing up for the annual holiday parade and tree-lighting ceremony in the town square, where Phyllis Newsom will be serving her much-anticipated candy cane cupcakes. Local rancher Barney McCrory manages to charm one away from her before the ceremony begins. But unfortunately, when the minty confection is finished, so is he.

This isn’t the first time someone has dropped dead after eating one of Phyllis’s treats. But when the paramedics determine the rancher was shot, suspicion swiftly falls on McCrory’s daughter and her husband—who both stand to reap some sweet rewards from his death. Though Phyllis doesn’t want to get mixed up in another murder investigation, something about this case doesn’t sit right with her. With a little help from a tabloid TV news crew, Phyllis must unwrap the truth and restore good cheer to Weatherford before it’s too late…

Includes recipes!

(And on a personal note, while I'm hardly unbiased, I think this is one of the best in the series, with some great characters and really funny dialogue, not to mention a fine mystery.) 

Now Available: Wedding Cake Killer - Livia J. Washburn

Wedding bells will be ringing in Weatherford, Texas, this Christmas when Phyllis Newsom opens up her home for her best friend’s wedding. And although the bride is wearing white, no one suspects that she’ll soon be wearing black…

After all the planning—and the cake tasting—the big day has arrived. Eve Turner, one of Phyllis’s boarders—and her best friend—is moving out and getting married to the affable Roy Porter. While she’s sad to see Eve go, Phyllis is more than happy to host the event in her house and to bake the bride and groom a delicious three-tiered coconut wedding cake. Even though a snowstorm in the forecast seems like a recipe for disaster, the day runs as smoothly as butter cream.

But the marriage doesn’t last long past the honeymoon. When Roy’s found dead at a Weatherford bed-and-breakfast, Eve’s the top suspect. Now Phyllis must find out who iced Roy before her friend finds herself behind bars…

(As always, this is hardly an unbiased opinion, but I think this is an excellent novel and that Livia does a great job of developing the characters and moving this series along. It's available in print, Kindle, and Nook editions.)

Interviews with Livia

A couple of new interviews with Livia have been published recently. You can read them here and here. Her latest Fresh Baked Mystery is getting great reviews, too. And let's not forget WITCH GOT YOUR TONGUE. There's a new review of it here.

Livia on CNN.com

Livia's quoted in an article about culinary mysteries on CNN.com this morning.  Check it out.  And as a teaser for those of you who are fans of the Fresh Baked Mystery series, the title of the next book, due out this fall, is THE GINGERBREAD BUMP-OFF.

Book Giveaway

Livia's giving away one copy each (autographed, of course) of her most recent Fresh Baked Mysteries, KILLER CRAB CAKES and THE PUMPKIN MUFFIN MURDER.  You can find out all the details on her blog here.

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder

Livia's latest Fresh-Baked Mystery novel is now available.  I'm hardly an unbiased reader, but I really like these books.  Great characters, very twisty plots, and lots of local color.  And I get to sample most of the recipes that are featured in them, too.  Highly recommended.

Livia's New Covers

Here are the covers for Livia's two new mystery novels that will be out this fall.  THE PUMPKIN MUFFIN MURDER, the latest book in the Fresh Baked Mystery series, will be released on November 2.  KILLER ON A HOT TIN ROOF, the third book in the Delilah Dickinson series, comes out a few weeks later on November 30.  I've read both these books and think they're great.  Of course, I'm hardly an unbiased judge, but you can trust me on this one.

Guest Blogging

No, not me. Livia has a nice guest blog about Christmas mysteries posted at the excellent Mayhem and Magic site. Check it out. (By the way, the mass market edition of THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE KILLER is out now, in case you're looking for an almost-last-minute gift for someone who enjoys mysteries.)