Leslie Keller Books

How can we as readers love a bad boy in fiction? Do we hope that he can be saved by the right woman? One of my favorites who appeared in both book and movie is Rhett Butler. Yes, he was a scoundrel but what woman could really resist him? Scarlett tried but in the end she had to admit she loved him. A more recent leading man of the mystery genre is Cormoran Strike from the Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling) series. He abuses alcohol, he struggles in his relationships and struggles with the demons of his military past but you can't help but root for him. If the leading character is too bad, is he worth redeeming? Some are meant to be villains and so they will stay that way throughout the novel. Those characters we may just love to hate. In Menu for Murder, the mayor was such a person. He used blackmail and coercion to line his pockets. When he's found murdered, there is no one to care. What books have you read recently which included a bad boy who you hoped would clean up h

One of the struggles for many authors is to provide the backstory for the characters. What brought the protagonist and antagonist to this point in time. What motivates them to behave the way they do. As a reader we want to get to know the characters but generally doesn't want to read a long narrative outlining the past. Personally, I get bored if there is too much description on the setting. Lengthy details about the surroundings lose me quickly unless they relate specifically to the action. In Menu for Murder, I tried to insert some of Jayne's history into the story so that it was unobtrusive and didn't slow down the scene. For example, we first learn that Jayne's father has died an accidental death when she has a conversation with the mayor.  We learn that Jonas had been married and his wife cheated on him with his brother when he and Jayne are having dinner. Of course, that scene was interrupted by Jayne's arrest! When reading the next book, think about whe

This is the second book in the series about Big Stone Gap. It is not a cozy nor a mystery but more of a chick-lit with a touch of romance. In the sequel to Big Stone Gap, the author takes us eight years later in the life of Ava Maria Mulligan, now a married woman. We see her struggles with her relationship and the loss of their young son to illness.  Ava Maria struggles with the same issues many married women have to deal with in order to keep a marriage alive. In this book she travels to Italy again, now with her daughter for the summer. A chance to reflect on her marriage and decide if she should remain faithful. I enjoyed the first book more than this one but it was an easy read and I would recommend it. If you enjoy reading a series and following a character through the years, then this book will not disappoint. Happy Trails, Leslie Visit my website

I'm sure a few of you have seen the wine labeled Menage a Trois - they have both red and white varietals.  This is a cocktail of the same name. You have to be able to handle your dairy as it contains cream but otherwise it's pretty tasty. 1 oz light run 1 oz Cointreau 1 oz light cream Fill a martini shaker half full of ice. Combine ingredients in the shaker. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass. You can garnish this with a slice of orange. If you don't have a martini shaker, then you can use two glasses as long as one fits snugly inside the other. A dangerous option of you are clumsy (like me) or if the glasses are not tight. You might wind up with this cocktail all over yourself rather than in the glass. Remember to always tip your bartenders and servers and drink responsibly. Cheers, Jayne Visit Leslie's website

Since the second book will soon be released (I hope), I'm posting a small snippet of the first book as a teaser. You don't have to read this one before the second but I hope you do! The mayor set his glass on the coffee table with a loud clink. He stood, and I saw him sway slightly. He took three rapid steps in my direction, and before I could move away, he was all over me like hot fudge on a sundae. He grabbed at the front of my shirt and thrust his other hand into the tangle of my hair, clenching a fistful. Yanking me to him, he plastered his lips on mine trying to force his tongue into my mouth. Reflexively, I wrenched my head back and, in the process, accidentally flung the cocktail glass across the room where it shattered violently. "Ewww," was all I could manage. “Come on, baby. Just one little kiss.” He slurred his words, and I felt a drop of spittle hit my face. “I’d rather kiss the backside of a mule.” “I like it when a girl plays hard to get.

I've eaten in this iconic Phoenix restaurant a few times. What do I love about it?  Everything! Located on South Mountain, it was founded in 1971 and remains family owned. The rumor is that the original location was used as a hideout for cattle rustlers. "Horny" the bull remains ensconced outside the front door and may or may not greet you when you enter. The menu is comprised of steaks, ribs and chicken with ample sides which accompany your meal.  The prices are more than reasonable and the quality is good. The view is amazing at night and I hear it's a fantastic place to watch the fireworks over downtown Phoenix on the 4th of July. There is a live band every night playing country music with a small dance floor. And for the adventurous, there is a tin slide for the kids from the upper to lower level on the inside and a waterfall. I selected the cowboy cut of the "Tenderfoot" filet. I added the loaded baked potato but my dinner came with a salad (serve

This was definitely a cozy mystery and it was by an author I have never read - so that automatically makes me cautious. I read this book in one day, which isn't a bad thing. It just happened that I had to wait for my pedicure, sit with nothing to do while getting my pedicure and then decided to finish it since I was already almost done. Sounds like my life is either really boring or really snobby but this was my first free day in a very long time. The main character Sally Muccio has recently divorced her cheating husband, moved back to her small hometown and started a cookie bakery. She employs her best friend, Josie, who is a baker extraordinaire and also a mother with four small children. Despite growing up in this small town, Sally has only one good friend (the aforementioned Josie) but does have a few enemies, namely the woman who cheated with Sally's husband, Amanda and Sally's ex-boyfriend, Mike. When Amanda winds up dead outside the bakery, it looks like she

This was an early idea for the cover of Menu for Murder, using an actual restaurant chalkboard which sits in my kitchen.  Obviously it was rejected for the much better cover done by the talented Debra Gioia.           Happy Trails, Leslie Visit my website