Blueberry Cake with guest Allison Brook -- #giveaway

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!

 

Your favorite cake? Ever seen a ghost? Leave a comment below, with your email address, for a chance to win a signed ARC of CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER! (US addresses only. Winner will be announced Wednesday, Sept. 9th.) 

CHECKED OUT FOR MURDER, the fourth book in the Haunted Library series written as Allison Brook, releases Tuesday, September 8th.

From the cover: Carrie Singleton and Evelyn the ghost sleuth the slayings of a starlet and a star-crossed psychic in Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook's fourth Haunted Library mystery.

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.

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook she writes the Haunted Library series. DEATH OVERDUE, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series and the Twin Lakes series. Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place.

Visit Marilyn's website for more about books by both her and Allison.

And that's Sammy the cat!