#SPOTLIGHT ON PEG COCHRAN/MARGARET LOUDON

  

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

My books have allowed me to travel vicariously to so many places from the East coast to the Midwest and even across the ocean to England!

Gourmet De-Lite Series:  I started my writing career traveling to the East coast and the fictional town of Woodstone, Connecticut, with its majestic, leafy trees and colonial style houses and where my character Giovanna “Gigi” Fitzgerald decides to put down roots.

 

Vintage Lingerie Series, written as Meg London:  This time the setting was the very real town of Paris, Tennessee.  Emma Taylor, who would much rather be in Paris, France, returns to help her aunt revive her vintage lingerie shop.  Emma soon learns to appreciate Southern ways—a pitcher of sweet tea always at the ready and charming manners and customs.

 

Farmer’s Daughter Series:  With this series, I traveled to the Midwest—Michigan where my character Shelby MacDonald is running the small farm left to her by her parents.  Shelby has lived her whole life in Michigan and loves the warmth of the people, the changing seasons and the delicious and fresh summer produce.

 

Cranberry Cove Series:  I decided to stay in Michigan in the imaginary town of Cranberry Cove on the shore of Lake Michigan.  Monica Albertson left Chicago to help her half-brother with his cranberry farm.   She loves the beauty of the bogs when the cranberries are being harvested as well as the quirky townspeople and she even finds love and happiness to boot.

 

Murder, She Reported Series:  Back to the East coast but also back in time to New York City in 1938.  Elizabeth “Biz” Adams is living the life of a well-to-do socialite with cocktails at El Morocco, balls at the Waldorf-Astoria and dinner at Delmonico’s until she takes a job as a crime photographer for the Daily Trumpet. She soon learns there’s another, less glamorous side to the Big Apple.  

 

Open Book Series as Margaret Loudon:  I had the itch to travel overseas so I created Penelope “Pen” Parish who takes a job as a writer-in-residence at the Open Book in the made-up town of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke, England.  Writing about afternoon tea with delights like Victoria Sponge Cake, scones with clotted cream and Lemon Drizzle cake made me wish I was really there.

 

GIVEAWAY!

It's never too early to start the season!  Christmas comes to Cranberry Cove.  Tell me where you'd most like to travel to win an e-book of Where the Bodies Are Berried!  (Sorry, US only) 

 

 

  

 

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . . 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble 

 

A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan with her husband. She is the author of numerous cozy mystery series including the Open Book (writing as Margaret Loudon), Murder, She Reported, Cranberry Cove, the Farmer's Daughter, Gourmet De-Lite, the Lucille series and Sweet Nothings Lingerie (written as Meg London). When she’s not writing, you’ll find her either cooking, reading or spoiling her granddaughters and grandson. 
 

 

Halloween Bat Bites from Molly MacRae

Is this a recipe or a craft project? It doesn’t really matter. A simple idea like Bat Bites can turn a chilly, gray afternoon into tasty fun (with smears of peanut butter here and there and a few googly eyeballs on the floor). The grandchildren, their dad, and I had no trouble assembling our little bats or eating them. If you want to save time, buy unwrapped peanut butter cups, but unwrapping the cups will keep little hands busy longer. We left the candies sitting in their little brown paper cups to make it easier to pick the bats up from a serving plate.

If you like quick Halloween treat ideas, too, here are three more of my favorites. 

Ghost Cookies

Mummy Hand Pies

 Mummy Chocolate Chip Blondies

Halloween Bat Bites

Ingredients

Chocolate sandwich cookies

Mini peanut butter cups

Peanut butter

Edible eyeballs

 

Directions

Take the chocolate sandwich cookies apart and scrape away the filling (into a bowl or into someone’s mouth). Cut each cookie wafer in half. We found that a serrated knife worked best. These are the bat wings.

Dab a bit of peanut butter on the top of each peanut butter cup. Attach the wings in a bat-like manner.

Either dab more peanut butter onto the cup and press two eyes into it, or spread a bit of peanut butter onto the back of two eyes and press them onto the cup.

Voilà! You have bats. 

 

Out now!

All Shell Breaks Loose

Book 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries!

 

 

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . .

Writing as Margaret Welch

 

Happy reading!

  

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Instagram or Bluesky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Pumpkin Crumb Cake @MaddieDayAuthor #Halloween #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here, with a yummy cake for Halloween and a spooky giveaway!

I went to a local writers' group Halloween party last evening and needed to bring a dish to share. I've had a very busy month with no end in sight, so I looked for something easy to make. When I ran across this recipe for a pumpkin chocolate cake, I knew I had a winner. What says Halloween more than pumpkin and chocolate?

Chocolate-Pumpkin Crumb Cake 

Recipe adapted from KingArthurBaking.com. The original had a glaze on top, but I felt that would make it too sweet, so I left it out.

Ingredients

 

10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, melted and still warm

1/2 cup (107g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons (37g) granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 1/4 cups (270g) unbleached flour, divided

1/4 cup (21g) cocoa

1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup (50g) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (113g) pumpkin purée

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I made my own using 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ginger)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line a 8" square pan with a parchment sling, then lightly grease the parchment. 

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, sugars, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cup flour and the cocoa powder, then stir until a smooth, soft dough forms. Cover and set aside while you make the cake batter.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the sugar and egg until pale and thick, about 1 minute. Add the oil and whisk until thick, shiny, and emulsified. 

Whisk in the pumpkin, vanilla, spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add 3/4 cup flour and whisk until no dry streaks remain. 

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

Use your hands to break the dough for the crumbs into pieces of various sizes (some as big as almonds, others as small as chickpeas and lentils), scattering them evenly over the cake batter. 

Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.

Slice and serve at room temperature with the hot or cold drink of your choice and a good spooky story. Enjoy!

Readers: What's your favorite Halloween dessert (other than candy...)? I'll send one commenter a copy of Murder at Cape Costumers in honor of the holiday!

🎃🧹🎃

Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, is out and available wherever books are sold!

Next up is Murder in the Lighthouse, out in late February, 2027, up for preorder now!

My other recent releases are:

A Poisonous Pour, Cece Barton #3,

Murder at Cape Costumers,

Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen

Crockpot Chili #recipe @vmburns

 VMBURNS:  I have several chili recipes, but I usually make them on the stove. This time, I didn't feel like spending time stirring chili, so I decided to make chili in the crockpot. I love my crockpot. It's so easy. I also love the way the house smells when something has been cooking low and slow all day. YUM!

I used a tad too much cayenne so my chili came out a little spicier than normal. Feel free to skip the cayenne if you don't like the heat. I also didn't have chili beans. I had black beans, so that's what I used. 

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  CROCKPOT CHILI

  
  
  
  
  
  
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INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained or chili beans, undrained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni
• 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium heat. When the meat is no longer pink and the onions are soft, drain the grease, and then return it to the skillet.
   
   
   
   
2. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Transfer the browned beef mixture to your slow cooker. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and seasoning. Do not add the macaroni or the cheese, yet.
   
   
   
4. Stir well, cover, and cook on  low for about 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
5. Increase the heat to high and add the elbow macaroni. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
   
   
   
6. Turn off the slow cooker and stir in the shredded cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and let it melt for 5 minutes.
   
   
   
7. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
   
   
   

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READERS: What's your favorite chili topping? Sour cream, cheese, chips, jalapenos? Let me know in the comments below. 

MURDER AT FIRST SLICE 

As Maddy’s wedding day approaches, friends and family descend on the little town of New Bison, Michigan, to celebrate—so much so that Maddy wonders if there might be another happily-ever-after in store for her widowed father and innkeeper Mrs. Law. Unfortunately, she also has to deal with an unhappy couple: feuding cousins Hannah and Dorothy, who haven’t spoken in decades. Maddy can only hope the spectacular wedding cake crafted by her head baker doesn’t wind up as ammunition in a food fight.

But she doesn’t have to wait long for a wedding disaster to strike. When the imperious Dorothy crashes the rehearsal dinner—with several uninvited guests in tow—and starts battering everyone with constant complaints, the drama reaches reality-show levels. And the next day, Dorothy is dead . . . with Hannah standing over the body, bloody rolling pin in hand.

Nobody in town believes Miss Hannah could commit murder. But a detective newly