RACHAEL STAPLETON

Genre – Cozy MysterySeries: A Kelly Jackson Mystery Publisher: Lyrical Underground Fortunes, fineries, and foul play . . . Murder at the Mansion by JANET FINSILVER is the second book in the Kelly Jackson Mystery series. It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property.  I enjoyed the first book and was pretty pumped to read the second installment. Unfortunately, I was a little underwhelmed by the first quarter of the book. Kelly Jackson's arrival back at Redwood Cove Bed-and-Breakfast is pretty slow. The B and B has been undergoing renovations and is not quite ready to open yet. Kelly’s boss, Michael Carrigan, has her doing inventory of Redwood Heights due to recent thefts. Kelly hear...

Ireland makes for a great book setting, doesn't it? From the rolling hills and haunted gothic castles that radiate romance and evoke magical visions of fair maidens and frightful dungeons to the bustling metropolis of Dublin alive with entertaining cultural pursuits, beautiful architecture and lively pubs. Not surprisingly, one of the most anticipated and beloved parties revolves around Ireland’s national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Parades, expressive costumes, street theatre and a lively carnival atmosphere will leave you spellbound.  But if you're like me then perhaps you'd prefer to do your celebrating via the pages of a nice cozy mystery. If that's the case why not check out The Temple of Indra Series. Here's an excerpt to wet your whistle. Excerpt from The Temple of Indra's Jewel Chapter Twenty-Three| Curator’s Connection ––––––––   Surrounded by hedges and covered in moss, his home looked like a whimsical Tudor-style cottage with beautiful...

I hear it all the time. Where did you find that piece?   If you like a mix of jewel tones and dusty colours, timeworn or handmade textiles, and collected objects that create a lived-in feel. Think Paris flea markets, Granny’s teacups, the film Grey Gardens then you'll like this post. Can you help me redecorate?   My answer is always, of course. Can you wait a few years?      Between writing books, blogs, marketing, fitness competition training and being a full-time mom, I can fit it in. No, but really, I love to hear it. It's sweet, and I love that people enjoy my quirky taste. Unfortunately, I can't re-decorate all of my friend's homes, so I will share where I do my shopping. Dun Dun Dun Duhhh... Antique Shops, Second hand stores and believe it or not Pawn Shops and Ontario has plenty. And just in case your wondering what I mean by eclectic vintage flare . It's basically a rich, layered look c...

So this morning I woke up to large fat, snowflakes falling from the sky. It’s like fluffy feathers, covering the trees and lawn in a cold white blanket. And while the dedicated few, like my own hubby, are forced to shovel and trudge through the slippery white stuff, risking the roads, a few of us Ontarians are taking a snow day. Hurray! Even though I have a little one and write at home and snow days don’t really exist for me I still get caught up in the excitement of pj’s, hot chocolate, snuggles by the fire, and good books. The Magnificent Snowy View Out My Kitchen Window Today the lovely Jill Behe is visiting my blog and she’s giving away an amazon giftcard, perhaps you could use it to buy one of her new cozy mysteries. Freezer Burn looks like the perfect book to read on this lovely snowy day?! So don’t’ forget to enter the Rafflecopter below before you bundle up for a walk in the white stuff. Maybe you’ll win, then you can come home to a hot cup of tea, a co...