
It's almost that time of year again. The leaves are turning and your book club might be thinking about ghosts and things that go bump in the night! So today I'm offering THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER, which takes place at Halloween. That's right! I'm giving away a copy to one person who leaves a comment below.
A team of ghost hunters arrive in Wagtail to investigate the local ghost stories for a TV show. They're particularly interested in a legend that centers around a deserted hotel. But to keep things honest, a ghost debunker is part of the show to expose any fast tricks they might pull.
I have to tell you that researching this story was fascinating. I come from a no nonsense family that absolutely did not believe in ghosts. That is, not until my father died. Every single one of us saw or heard him after his death. So it was particularly interesting to me to delve into fact versus fiction. By including a ghost debunker in the story, I was able to explore both sides of the question do ghosts exist?
I'm including some book club questions here to get the conversation started. I think questions one and two could fill the entire evening and result in some fascinating stories.
Book Club Questions for
THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER
1. Do you believe in ghosts?
2. Have you ever seen, heard, or felt a ghost?
3. Have you ever taken part in a fake haunted house as a guest or a ghost?
4. Did Eva Chevalier expose some ghost hunting tricks you didn't know about?
5. How did you feel about Eva and her personal problems?
6. Do you have a cat? Would your cat have acted like Mrs. Mewer?
7. What was the spookiest moment in the book for you?
8. How did you feel about Mallory? Did your opinion change as you learned about her past?
9. Did you know who the killer was? Who did you suspect?
10. It has to be asked. What's your favorite Halloween treat?
It goes without saying that you're going to serve something at your book club meeting, so today I'm offering pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. These were so yummy that they started disappearing before I even frosted them. So if you're in a pinch, you can just dust some powdered sugar over them and they'll still be delish. But if my friend Betsy is coming, you'd better make the frosting. She claims "the cake is just there to hold the frosting." I bet some of you think so, too.
Krista's Pumpkin Cupcakes
with Cream Cheese Frosting
(makes 12 cupcakes)
Pumpkin Cupcakes
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspooon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup regular sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 and place cupcake papers in the pan.
Mix together the first seven ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork. Set aside.
Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the egg and beat well. Add the vanilla and pumpkin and beat. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. The batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling each well about 3/4 full. (I spoon some into each well, then go back and top them all off.)
Bake 16 minutes. (The number one complaint about cupcakes is that they're dry. Don't over-bake!)
Cool on a rack. Eat plain (at brunch, maybe?), dust with powdered sugar, or top with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
Beat the butter with the cream cheese. Add the vanilla and beat. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating in between.
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Thick batter. |
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After baking. |
Don't forget to leave a
comment if you would like to win a copy of
THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER.
Please include your email address so I can notify you.
Good luck!
I'm not too crazy about pumpkin pie, but pumpkin cupcakes - that's another story. Yum. I love the title, always makes me think of the old movie. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletesallycootie@gmail.com
I agree with Grandma Cootie- I think about the movie too..which I love!
ReplyDeletethe3beersus@yahoo.com
I am looking forward to trying the pumpkin cupcakes! They look so yummy. Thank you for sharing the recipe and giveaway.
ReplyDeletemyrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
I love pumpkin and the old movie. At the notoriously haunted Black Swan Inn, I had a ghost apport my purse from one side of a locked door to the other side! The purse strap was still on the doorknob, but the purse itself was left hanging out in the hallway. sssusieq@hotmaildotcom
ReplyDeleteYum! Love anything with pumpkin. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love this series. I would love to visit or even move to town where I could take my dog anywhere I went. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds great & my answer is yes, I do believe in ghosts. Most of my family has experienced ghosts, or as you may prefer to call them spirits.
ReplyDeleteI'd be thrilled to win this new book. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy.
Also, I love the sound of your cupcakes, I can smell them baking already.
These look delicious and a cozy with ghosts? Count me in!
ReplyDeletekaren.kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com
Great recipes, ghosts and a great Cozy story. Who could ask for anything better !! joytheforgottenone@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGreat recipes, ghosts and a great Cozy story. Who could ask for anything better !! joytheforgottenone@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds great and the recipe looks awesome. Thanks for the chance!!
ReplyDeleteMoonbay7399@gmail.com
This book sounds like a lot of fun as do all of your books! But, the excitement is the pumpkin cupcakes because, well isn't it always about the food going along with the reading? I have all the ingredients here at the house except for the cream cheese so I will be going and getting that. My son is going to go nuts because he loves all things pumpkin.crossing my fingers for the win.
ReplyDeleteSherylhbooth@gmail.com
DeleteI love holiday themed books! This one sounds great! :)
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds great! I would love to win! The cupcakes look great also.
ReplyDeleteElaineE246 at msn dot com
Love the cute Halloween photo of you and your kitty! I read (and loved) The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer (and Murder She Barked)...looking forward to Murder Most Howl.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read this book. I know what you mean about family not believing in Ghosts but I do and have seen them. When I stayed at my daughter's house there was a little mischievous little girl ghost and I.was home all alone went to.bathroom.came.back.and.all my medicine bottles were stacked on top.of one another. I.took.them down.and lin ed them up as.before and went to.kitchen.came.back and they were stacked on top of one another.again. one.of many experiences there. I will be.trying the cupcakes too but with gluten free flour. Thanks for recipe
ReplyDeletelhxp73@yahoo.com
I'd love to read this, it looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read this book. I know what you mean about family not believing in Ghosts but I do and have seen them. When I stayed at my daughter's house there was a little mischievous little girl ghost and I.was home all alone went to.bathroom.came.back.and.all my medicine bottles were stacked on top.of one another. I.took.them down.and lin ed them up as.before and went to.kitchen.came.back and they were stacked on top of one another.again. one.of many experiences there. I will be.trying the cupcakes too but with gluten free flour. Thanks for recipe
ReplyDeletelhxp73@yahoo.com
Your recipe sounds super delicious! I love pumpkin ANYTHING but have never tried pumpkin cupcakes so will have to bake these soon. Thanks for the chance to win your book! kimdavishb@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI love anything pumpkin. The cupcakes look very yummy. Halloween is our favorite holiday and I love Halloween themed or mysteries that place around the holiday. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletescarletbegonia5858@gmail.com
I would love to win a copy of the ghost and Mrs. Mewer. Love your cozies. jchizmar01@windstream.net
ReplyDeleteI love the tastes of fall---and these pumpkin muffins look just perfect to start my fall baking. Thanks for the contest. suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
ReplyDeletePumpkin cream cheese muffins/cupcakes are one of my favorite fall treats - thanks for sharing your recipe, Krista! :-) nicolev.girldetective@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteUmmmm, apparently it's too early for me because I don't even know my own email address - lol! Sorry!!! nicolev.girldetective@gmail.com
DeleteI love fall and this looks like a wonderful book. Thank you for having this contest! pfistersk@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteAlong with such delightful covers, one of the things I love about "cozy" mysteries is the titles. I LOVE THIS TITLE! I "judge books by their cover" and know this must be great! kat8762@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI do believe in spirits and that people who have passed on can give you signs they're there for you. I don't watch any horror movies though. The title of the book is adorable! Joan. jsomers421@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win this book! The older I get, the more I just want to read mysteries with dogs, cats and food in them. The rest are too much like the news. :( stclairck@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteDo you trick or treat with your cat? You look adorable.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
I'm a sucker for cozy mysteries. Thanks for this opportunity. robeader53@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read it yet😞 I want to put it at the top of my TBR pile because it looks amazingly fun 🎃 pennymarks@frontier.com
ReplyDeleteLove your Mysteries so much & that pumpkin cupcakes recipe sounds out of this world. thanks for the chance at the great book, I do appreciate it. Linda May Here is my email: lindamay4852@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe pumpkin cupcakes look yummy. Thank you for sharing the recipe and giveaway.
ReplyDeletepeggyhyndman(at)att(dot)net
These cupcakes look amazing and I can't wait to read this book! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. lnm971@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI haven't experienced a ghost,so I'm open minded. I do believe in ESP. I actually typed ESPN without thinking. I guess you know how I spent my weekend. suefoster109@ net zero.net. No spaces.
ReplyDeleteRecipe for pumpkin cupcakes is similar to the one I use for split peas. Cook them, mash them put them in donuts, cakes, etc. Am looking forward to trying your pumpkin one. The book looks very interesting. So I am hoping.
ReplyDeleteDella deepotter@peoplepc.com
I don't want to be entered into the contest. Just wanted to tell anyone that hasn't read this series, that you will totally enjoy it. I couldn't put either of the books down once
ReplyDeleteI started reading and eagerly await the next one.
Thank you very much for the giveaway! Fall is my favorite season and while I'm not crazy about anything pumpkin, these cupcakes look amazing. I love this series and can't wait to read this one! smmolloy1105@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThis recipe sounds so good, Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletenlb1050@yahoo.com
Pleas enter me in the giveaway. Rachel.Risinger@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one yet so it would be a treat to win a copy. Definitely will be making the cupcakes for the grandkids -- thanks for the recipe. Love the pic of you and your kitty -- so cute!! Thanks for sharing with us. jody.714@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove the cover of this book!! Always great to get in on a new series.
ReplyDeletejawdance@yahoo.com
Can't wait to read this one! I hope I win! dawnsmedley69@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteGhosts, fall and pumpkins go together. A great post. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletedoward1952@yahoo.com
The fall season has me thinking about all the wonderful baking I will be doing. I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie so these pumpkin cupcakes are tops on my list to get started with. Thanks for the recipe and the contest...
ReplyDeletekjdugas(at)verizon(dot)net
The pumpkin cupcakes sound great - thank you for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletebookaunt at outlook dot com
would love to win a copy of your book, it sounds so good!!! thanks for the chance :) darholley1@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a copy of the Ghosts and mrs Mewer. ladyshortyg@att.net
ReplyDeleteThat's a great picture of you and your kitty in costume! I agree with your friend about the frosting (especially cream cheese!)~Thanks for the book club questions and for the giveaway! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds wonderful, especially for this time of year. I love Autumn, ghost stories, pumpkin flavored treats, and reading of course :) tinasawyer13@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteRecipe sounds delicious! Thanks for that and the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteBski92@gmail.com