Leslie Keller Books

Here are a few newly released cozy mysteries you may want to check out.  Of course, I hope that Cocktails at Sunset is at the top of your list. These books were released on Amazon in September: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley - yes, very odd title Muffins and Mourning Tea by H.Y. Hanna Small Town Focus: A Reed Ferguson Mystery by Renee Pawlish Winter's Child (A Wind River Mystery) by Margaret Coel Movie Night Murder (Merry Wrath Mysteries Book 4) by Leslie Langtry Killer Karaoke (Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series Book 7) by Hope Callaghan Bylines & Skylines (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 9) by Amanda Lee A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia (A Freddy Pilkington-Soames Adventure Book 1) by Clara Benson (this title is a bit long winded for my taste) Lacey Luzzi Suckered: a humorous, cozy mystery! (Lacey Luzzi Mafia Mysteries Book 9) by Gina LaManna Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Brash Blonde: a modern take on an old legend (Mary...

I decided to include the second ten books in the top mystery books on Goodreads.  There are so many great books that I can't decide which one to read next. Check out my September post for the first ten on the list. 11.  Mr. Kiss & Tell, Veronica Mars #2 by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham - I didn't read the first book in this series so I think I'll start with that one first. 12.  Memory Man by David Baldacci - I read one of his books years ago and this prompts me to pick up another one. 13.  Lamentation, Matthew Shardlake #6 by C.J. Sansom  - this is a historical mystery set in 1546. 14.  The Girl in the Spider's Web, Millenium #4 by David Lagercrantz - are you starting to see a pattern of series? 15.  The Escape by David Baldacci - two books in the top twenty! 16.  The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson 17.  Gathering Prey by John Sandford - just the title makes me think I might be up late at night and locking my doors....

When Tilly reached the ripe old age of ten weeks, she was yanked from her momma's side. Crammed into a new cage with eight other females, she howled for her family. She didn't know these other pups. They smelled different. They tasted different and they didn't like to play the way she had with her siblings. Tilly howled until her little throat was so sore she could only whimper.  She clawed at the bars and tried to dig her way out. "You may as well get used to it here." whispered a sable colored miniature poodle. "I want my momma!" Tilly wailed. "You won't see your momma again." "She'll find me." "This is your new home. Exhausted and shaking, Tilly crammed herself into a tiny ball in the corner of the cage. Minutes ticked by until Tilly finally gave in to restless sleep, plagued by dreams where she searched for her family to no avail. She woke with a start as the other pups howled. Everyone was hungry and ...

I took this picture when I was in my walk at 5 am phase.  It was lovely to see the sun come up, especially when nature added the drama of a few clouds.  Happy Trails, Leslie Visit my website

Here's a snippet of Cocktails at Sunset, Chapter Two.  This is the unedited early version. I hope you enjoy getting an early peek. ============================ Despite having my pillow over my head and the blinds closed, the sun still forced its way into my room and pried open my eyes. During my sleep, I had twisted my sheets into knots around my legs. I tried to untangle myself and the leftovers of my late-night snack of potato chips crunched under my back. A few remnants    dropped out of my tangled black wavy hair. In times like these, I wished I had a dog to lap up the crumbs to save me from the tedious job of stripping the bed and washing the sheets. On the other hand, I could simply brush them onto the floor and deal with them another day. I usually had Sunday nights off at the restaurant, but I picked up an extra shift to cover for another server. That still left me most of the day to decide whether to be productive or lazy. Productive meant I would wash ...

Recently I had the opportunity to dine at Roy's restaurant at the J.W. Marriott at Desert Ridge. It was a birthday party for a friend and there were eight of us.  First, let me say that this hotel is beautiful. The grounds are lovely, the lobby impressive and the staff friendly.  You descend a grand staircase down to the lower restaurant level where there is a bar and outside seating around fire pits. I can't wait for cooler weather to sit under the stars with a toasty fire and an adult beverage.  But I digress - back to the restaurant. We were seated with a view of the open kitchen. Fortunately, it was not so loud that we couldn't have a conversation and we weren't overwhelmed with the clang of pots and pans. Our server was prompt and attentive and fun, without being intrusive. I ordered the grilled Caesar salad starter, my friends had the crispy chicken spring rolls, calamari and Caterpillar roll.  My salad was perfect - not too much garlic or anchovy but the...

We meet Trudy when she's at her Aunt Gert's funeral and desperate to use the ladies room. Once in the stall, her two cousins slip in (late for the funeral) and their conversation is the impetus which changes Trudy's life forever.  Her happy marriage and family life are flushed, figuratively, right down the toilet. Later, when she inherits her aunt's home, it is the opportunity for her to change her life for the better. She leaves behind the marriage and the bratty grown daughter and starts on a project to renovate the old house. Fortunately, it turns out that her aunt was wealthy and paid the hunky neighbor to do some of the work.  It seems the plan was always to push Trudy into the right direction. This was a sweet story that kept my attention throughout. It was funny and made you root for Trudy to figure out what she really wanted and needed.  I never like to give away too much of the story in my reviews so I'll stop here before you figure it all out.  I wil...

Since Halloween is only weeks away and I'm guessing most of you may have already started 'testing' the treats, here's one for the adults. Devil's Tail is easy to make but packs a kick so it's best to combine it with a few doses of candy corn. 1 1/2 oz light rum 1 oz vodka 2 tab apricot brandy 2 teas. grenadine 1/2 oz lime juice - fresh is best but you can use bottled Combine all of the ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend thoroughly Serve in a champagne flute Cheers and happy Halloween, Leslie Visit my website