Review: Murder By Chance by Pat Dennis

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 Julie SeedorfLeave a comment

It is no secret I am a fan of Pat Dennis. She makes me laugh and lightens my day. Murder By Chance certainly gave me a few chuckles along with a fun mystery. I love this series. This is the second book I have read in the Betty Chance Mystery Series.

The scenario is Casino in Minnesota and Betty has a tour business called “Take A Chance Tours” but as with most of Betty’s tours something happens and this time it is a body on a bus. What happens next in her mysteries is anyone’s guess because the hapless, disorganized funny characters always create situations you can visualize in your mind, which make you want to be a fly on the wall to see how they manage the trouble that always seems to find them.

There are many surprises, a good mystery, a great ending and a fun bunch of characters and I use that term loosely. Follow Betty and “Take A Chance Tours” and I guarantee you will never look at bus tours in the same way.

Five stars as far as I’m concerned.

About Pat Dennis: Pat Dennis is an award-winning author and comedian. Pat is the author of HOTDISH TO DIE FOR, a collection of six culinary mystery short stories where hotdish is the weapon of choice (18 hotdish recipes are included). MURDER BY CHANCE is her debut novel in the Betty Chance mystery series. It is the story of a woman whose husband leaves her for an older fatter woman. Betty Chance was left penniless and deeply in debt. In order to earn a living, she opens a tour business for gambling junkets to casinos. All bets are off when she discovers a dead body, or two. KILLED BY CHANCE is the second book in the series, set in Biloxi, Mississippi. The third book in the series is DEAD BY CHANCE, set is Deadwood, South Dakota. Pat’s critically acclaimed humorous and touching travel memoir FAT OLD LADY IN LAS VEGAS: GAMBLING, DIETING, AND WICKED FUN was released in 2016. She is the contributing editor for HOTDISH HAIKU and WHO DIED IN HERE?, 25 mystery short stories by 25 premier storytellers where the crime occurs in the bathroom. Her novel STAND-UP AND DIE is a mystery set in the stand-up comedy world. Pat’s short stories have appeared in ANNE FRASIER’S DEADLY TREATS, The Minnesota Crime Wave’s SILENCE OF THE LOONS, RESORT TO MURDER, ONCE UPON A CRIME ANTHOLOGY, WRITES OF SPRING and the upcoming COOKED TO DEATH from Nodin Press. Her fiction and humor have been published in National Public Radio’s Minnesota Monthly, FMAM, Woman’s World, The Pioneer Press, and The Sun Current Newspapers. She is a veteran of 1,000 plus performances in comedy clubs, Fortune 500 special events, woman’s organizations, and church basements across the country. She has worked with such notables as Phyllis Diller, Lewis Black, Tommy Chong and Nick Swardson

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Review Bookman DEAD STYLE by Paige Shelton

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 Julie SeedorfLeave a comment

The cover of Bookman DEAD STYLE drew me in to pick up this book at my local library. And…I remember typewriters of this age since my Grandmother had one. It tweaked my interest having typewriters woven into a mystery.

The Star City Film Festival is a happening in the Utah ski resort. A murder disrupts this festival and Clare quietly investigates. Clare and her Grandfather’s business, The Rescued Word, is a hub of activity for their skill at restoring old books and old typewriters. But it also introduces them to perhaps a murderer and an interesting find in their shop.

The author describes the places in this community and the scenery so well I wanted to blend in and walk the steps with Clare. I could see the snow and the beautiful buildings. It was a place I would love to visit.

Paige Shelton is a master at writing mysteries which hold your interest, keep you reading and wanting more. This book does all that and more.

About Paige: Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. She’s lived lots of places but currently, resides in Arizona.

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Paige Shelton Author Page Amazon

Paige Shelton Website

Reading and Reviewing · Releases

Book Release: Two Little Girls by Julie Seedorf

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 Julie SeedorfLeave a comment

back cover two AM Old friends are treasured in our hearts forever. Many years ago I had to leave one of my best heart friends when I moved. Although we were not going to be a great distance from one another, only twenty-two miles, I knew our friendship would change. We both still had children and our lives were busy. I wrote this book for my forever friend, Donna so she would know how important she was to me.

Over the years time and distance didn’t separate our hearts. We talked on the telephone at least once a week. Cell phones kept us connected easier because of texting. Our kids grew and we both worked and our time together was few and far in-between.

Time and age have made it easier for us. She retired and I work for myself so I can arrange my time. We still “get” each other.

I met Donna when we were both volunteers for a self-esteem program in our school which I started. I was the coordinator. Soon Donna joined me in that role and when we went into the classroom we did things we never thought we would do as adults. We would role play and be silly and let kids know they were special just as they are.

We learned to play together again as adults and be silly and crazy. We shared laughter, sorrow and lifted one another up when the other was down. That is what friendship should be–accepting each other as we are with our faults and silly bodies and personality quirks. This book “Two Little Girls” is about that friendship.

I hope kids will like it but I also wrote it for adults to remember to cherish our friendships over the years. I am not an illustrator but I felt I needed to illustrate this book for Donna who always challenges me to try something new.

Two Little Girls is available in paperback and as a Kindle read. The paperback is adorable if I may say so myself. And of course, this was my first foray into publishing a picture book so please forgive any glitches you see.

two litle girls cover (2) I present Two Little Girls.

Friendship reaches across age, distance and time.
Two Little Girls is a story of a friendship between two adult women. Through their friendship, they learn to play during their volunteer activities with children. Acting out silly stories and skits the two girls found it didn’t matter the age because you are never too old to play.
When one of the girls aka women has to move they find the friendship changes because of distance but what they learned from each other and feel in their hearts lives forever.
Written by the author as a tribute to her friend, this story can be read by the very young and the very old remind us all that
“You Are Someone Special”

Paperback

Kindle