
LESLIE BUDEWITZ: One of the great pleasures of mystery writing is meeting authors and readers at mystery conventions. Our guest today is Marilyn Levinson who also writes as Allison Brook. I first met Marilyn at Malice Domestic, the convention celebrating the traditional mystery, and it's always a delight to see her.
Allison's fourth Haunted Library mystery, CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER, is coming this Tuesday, September 8! So let's all celebrate with a slice of cake!
MARILYN: My sleuth in the Haunted Library Mystery series is Carrie Singleton. She is the head of programs and events at the Clover Ridge Library in Connecticut. She solves murder mysteries with the assistance of Evelyn Havers, the library ghost. I got the idea to have a librarian as a sleuth when I was at an event in the large park-like area adjacent to my library. The librarian who had Carrie’s position in real life at the time was introducing a drummer to the audience. I thought she would make a great protagonist for my mystery series—a librarian in a small town with friends and colleagues and with the opportunity to meet new people all the time when she hires them to present a program or event. And that’s how Carrie Singleton was born!
Carrie loves to eat out. One of her favorites is eggplant rollatini. Another is Indian food. She bakes—double chocolate brownies. And I know she’d love this blueberry cake.
I got this delicious and easy recipe from a neighbor, Sally Minchenberg. I make it often during blueberry season. The following includes the few additions I add, like chocolate and sunflower seeds.
Leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed ARC of CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER!
Blueberry Cake
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
handful of dark chocolate chips (optional) (about ¼ cup)
handful of sunflower seeds (optional) (about ¼ cup)
1 pint blueberries
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" by 9" pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Include chocolate chips and seeds, if desired.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and add the blueberries on top. Spread evenly.
Bake 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy with a good book!
CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER, the fourth book in the Haunted Library series written as Allison Brook, releases Tuesday, September 8th.
Daphne Marriott strolls into Clover Ridge and informs librarian Carrie Singleton that she's a psychic. But had she foreseen what fate awaited her, Daphne would have steered clear of the quaint Connecticut town. Evelyn, the library ghost, tells Carrie that there's more to Daphne than she lets on.
And that's Sammy the cat!
I love red velvet cake.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
a good choice!
DeleteYum! You can't go wrong with blueberries!
ReplyDeleteOops. Left out contact info. auxbooks(at)gmail(dot)com
DeleteSo true! And this recipe is very easy.
DeleteI love gingerbread.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Yes!
DeleteGerman chocolate is my favorite. suefoster109 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteGood choice!
DeleteMy favorite cake is chocolate. I've never seen a ghost. Your cat is so cute. Thanks for this recipe. Looks easy and yummy. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate, too. My cat's name is Sammy. Alas, I lost him in June. He was 15 years old.
DeleteAw, I'm sorry to hear that Sammy has moved on. That's always so hard.
DeleteMy favorite cake is lemon pound cake. Thank you for the recipe, looks delicious. Also the book sounds great.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Thanks, Rita! I love anything made with lemon.
DeleteLeslie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. I'm happy to be here today to share my blueberry cake recipe, which is easy to make and delicious to eat, and to celebrate my new book, CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER.
This sounds great. My favorite is black forest cake.
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love that cake, too.
DeleteCake looks great! Book sounds wonderful !! Thank you for a chance to win.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa!
DeleteI love chocolate cake. And I have seen ghosts. Have had a lot of experience with the paranormal.
ReplyDeleteMeljprincess AT aol DOT com
I have never seen a ghost, but I find the paranormal fascinating.
DeleteI have several favorite cakes that I make. Chocolate Sheet Cake, Carrot Cake, Pineapple Cake with cream cheese frosting, Apple Cake with Vanilla Sauce and Pumpkin Bars! I have never seen a ghost. Thanks for the chance! almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)net
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome!
DeleteSounds like a great series! Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteIn case you need it email is
Rebekah_trammell06(at)yahoo(dot)com
You're most welcome.
DeleteI love fresh apple cake with whipped cream on top. Been my favorite since I was a kid.
ReplyDeletelaurie(dot)anismom2(at)gmail(dot)com
There's nothing like good apple cake. My mom used to make it. I like it better than apple pie.
DeleteI love spice cake the best psychology _ chick @ yahoo . com
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteWelcome, Allison/Marilyn. Lovely to have you join us.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Daryl. I'm happy to be visiting here again.
DeleteMy favorite cake is just yellow cake. And yes I’ve seen ghosts. I work in a haunted building and have had a few encounter.
ReplyDeletebmedrano34@yahoo.com
How fascinating!
DeleteI felt like I saw a ghost in my early years. This recipe looks easy to fix. kfowler 4827 @ gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious!!🥰
ReplyDeletethank you, Shirley!
DeleteVery easy. I only make easy recipes.:)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is my mother-in-law's crema. She is about to celebrate her 93rd birthday. The daughter of immigrants, she learned to cook from her Italian mother. The cake is soaked in rum and then covered in a delicious cream.
ReplyDeleteYum!!
DeleteI love this series! I may need to make some kind of cake in honor of the holiday weekend.
ReplyDeleteSmithsusanL at gmail dot com
DeleteI'm so glad you love this series, Susan!
DeleteMy favorite cake is an ice cream one from Cold Stone Creamery! Yes, I've seen many ghosts during my life!
ReplyDeleteThat's most interesting! Were you frightened when you saw the ghosts?
DeleteHi this is Anita. Would love to try this series. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Anita. You're welcome.
DeleteI love devil's food cake with cream cheese icing. Haven't run into any ghosts. margie.hager@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteSammy looks like a good companion.
ReplyDeleteBlueberry cake! Lovely. And the addition of chocolate chips and sunflower seeds is intriguing.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
I like the Pistachio Pudding Pound Cake from Jello. Also anything with cannolli (sp) filling. Haven't seen a ghost but would love to. Need to go out now and get blueberries! bobntoni@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI just bought some more blueberries.
DeleteI love my mom's pound cake. No one can make it as good as her.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422 at gmail dot com
Ah! That's very sweet.
DeleteI love a good dark chocolate cake, I have one recipe I've used for many years. I also love blueberries, so I'll have to try this recipe! Oh, and I love the Haunted Library series, I've been borrowing them from my public library, where I work. Yes, I'm a librarian, and I love library-related mysteries! teenlibn(at)hotmail(dot)com.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you've been enjoying this series!
Delete