Murder in the Graveyard -- Halloween guests and treats and a sale!

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  With spooky season upon us, it's the perfect time to share a few treats from our friends Cathy Wiley and Karen Cantwell,  celebrating a special price on Murder in the Graveyard, a Destination Murders anthology set -- well, you guessed it! 

The Destination Murders series -- Graveyard is the 5th -- gathers together short stories from a group of cozy mystery authors, giving you the chance to meet new-to-you authors and series, and reconnect with some of your favorites between books. Cathy and Karen's brainchild, the series has visited the beach, the mountains, the sea, and the air -- and of course, the graveyard. I've contributed to three and each one is great fun!

Cathy's serving up a Char-BOO-terie Board, while Karen's pouring cocktails in keeping with the season. And I'm bringing dessert, reprising one of my favorites for the season -- Boo Scotti, as fun to say and make as they are to eat!

Murder in the Graveyard is just .99 -- less than the price of a treat-sized candy bar -- for Kindle through October 24.  

Char BOO-terie Board

by Cathy Wiley 

Char-BOO-terie boards are very popular this time of year on social media! While I loved some of the creative ideas I came across, many of the boards were too gruesome or creepy for my taste. I want my Halloween treats to be appetizing, not make me lose my appetite!

So I created my own Char-BOO-terie board, combining a few of my favorite ideas with some spooky creations straight from my imagination. The result? A Halloween spread that's more cute than creepy, with plenty of delicious treats to enjoy!

Ingredients 

Brie Gravestone

1 wheel of Brie cheese

1–2 teaspoons balsamic glaze

3–4 fresh rosemary sprigs

Mandarin Orange Pumpkins

5 mandarin oranges

1 celery stalk, cut into short stems

Mozzarella and Tomato Boo-schetta

1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

bruschetta topping (I used a jar of sun-dried tomato version. You could, of course, make your own topping.)

Balsamic glaze for ghost faces

Boursin Spiders

1 packages Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese

thin pretzel sticks, broken in half as needed

10 candy eyeballs (for 5 spiders)

Hot Dog Ghosts

1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough

5 hot dogs, cut in half

1 egg yolk for an egg wash

Additional Board Fillers

1 cup black olives

2 carrots, cut into sticks

4 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced into sticks

4–6 ounces salami

candy corn

candy pumpkins

Halloween-shaped cookies or crackers

Additional crackers for serving

Blueberries or blackberries (unlike me, remember these)

Note that this is easily simplified, if you'd like to include just a few elements!

Create the Brie Gravestone

Cut a small portion from the bottom of the wheel to create a flat edge, forming a rounded gravestone shape. Place the Brie near the center of the serving tray. Using a toothpick or skewer, carefully write RIP on the Brie. Drip balsamic glaze into letters. Arrange fresh rosemary along the bottom edge to resemble grass growing around the grave.

Create the Mandarin Orange Pumpkins

Peel the mandarin oranges carefully, keeping each orange whole. Cut celery into small pieces approximately ½ inch long. Insert one celery stem into the top center of each orange. Set aside until ready to assemble the arrangement.

Make the Mozzarella Ghost Boo-schetta

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Brush baguette slices lightly with olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and toast for 5–8 minutes, until lightly brown. 

Spoon a small amount of the bruschetta topping onto each toasted baguette slice.

Using a small ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut ghost shapes from the mozzarella slices. Alternatively, cut freehand with a knife. (Which is what I did, obviously.) Place a mozzarella ghost on top of each baguette slice.

Use a toothpick and balsamic glaze to make two eyes and a mouth.Make the Boursin Spiders

Remove cheese from refrigerator and rest for ten minutes so it is easy to form into round balls.

Divide the cheese into five portions and roll each into a ball. Arrange the balls on a parchment-lined tray. Cut pretzel sticks in half (this often results in smashed pieces, so be warned). Insert four pieces into each side of each cheese ball to create eight spider legs. Press two candy eyeballs into the front of each spider.

Refrigerate until ready to arrange on the board.

Prepare the Crescent Roll Hot Dog Ghosts

Preheat oven to 375°F, or according to the crescent dough package. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Unroll the crescent dough and cut into squares. Cut hot dogs in half crosswise and stand them up. Drape the crescent dough over the hot dogs. Use a straw to make three holes (two for eyes, one for mouth). Mix egg yolk with a little water and brush ghosts. 

Arrange on the baking sheet and bake for approximately 12–15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Cool slightly before placing on the board.

 Make the Salami Roses and place the cheese

There are different ways to make Salami Roses. I’ve had more success with the method where you first lay out overlapping salami slcies (similar to how it comes out of the package, but with more space.) Then fold in half and roll tightly into the flower shape.

Fill in the spaces with candy, crackers, and fruit.

Unlike me, remember that you had washed blackberries and blueberries to add to the board. Unfortunately, my family had already started to eat from the board before I remembered the berries.

 Happy Halloween!

Tasty Good Lemon Lavender Zingers 

by Karen Cantwell 

Perfect after a night chasing ghosts and ghouls -- or touring a historic cemetery! 

For each drink:  

2 oz vodka

1/4 oz. lemon juice

1/2 oz lavender simple syrup

ice

edible lavender sprig

You'll also need:

cocktail shaker

strainer

 

Put ice in the bottom of a cocktail glass, set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, mix vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice and shake hard until it's very cold on your hands. Strain drink into the glass with ice and garnish with 1 or 2 lavender sprigs.

Enjoy!

Boo Scotti

All you need: 

biscotti 

white chocolate

semi-sweet chocolate

Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a cutting board. Lay your cookies on top of it, on a flat side. 

 

Melt the white chocolate. Use a spoon to spread white chocolate on one end of each cookie, making a curved ghost-like shape at the bottom edge. Don’t worry about any drips on to the edges of the cookies—they add to the ghostly effect. Allow to sit, until chocolate is hard, about an hour. 

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate. Use a chopstick, toothpick, or small paintbrush to create eyes and mouths on the white chocolate ghosts. Allow to sit until chocolate is firm. If you goof, it’s easy to scrape off a bit of chocolate, fill it in, and start over. Or, just eat ‘em. 

Tell us, readers, about your Halloween traditions? Is wandering around a cemetery looking for ghosts and history part of your idea of fun, like for some of our characters? 

 

Happy Haunting from Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and the contributors and editors of Murder in the Graveyard, available in ebook and paperback! 

Murder in the Graveyard, the fifth entry in the fan-favorite Destination Murder series, invites you to take a walk among the tombstones—just watch your step. This collection of cozy mystery short stories delivers light chills, clever thrills, and a few restless spirits who may have unfinished business

Perfect for curling up with on a crisp fall evening or anytime you’re craving bite-sized mysteries with big personality, this anthology is also a great way to discover new favorite authors who know exactly how to balance the eerie with the endearing.

Dig into Murder in the Graveyard today...your next cozy mystery obsession is just six feet under.

Stories by Meri Allen, Leslie Budewitz, Karen Cantwell, Misha Crews, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Tina Kashian, Daphne Silver, Rosalie Spielman, and Cathy Wiley. More about Murder in the Graveyard and other books in the series at the Destination Murders website. 

  

 

 

 

Paperback Book Birthday for MURDER, LOCAL STYLE @LeslieKarst

 

Happy book birthday to Leslie Karst, whose Orchid Isle mystery, MURDER, LOCAL STYLE, releases today as a PAPERBACK--hurrah! 

 

 

About Murder, Local Style: 

 

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i.

A dinner to die for!

It’s been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen are finally settling into life on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Val’s even joined the neighborhood orchid society to make some new friends. So when she’s asked to step in to cater their latest social event, as the newbie of the group she can’t exactly say no.

But what should have been a straightforward gig is soon a dining disaster when the food from the event poisons and kills the society president. As Val herself becomes a suspect in the murder investigation, she’s determined to uncover the truth. Who would want to kill the mild-mannered president of the orchid society?

Turns out the list is longer than a celebrity chef’s tasting menu. Apparently some of the residents did not “love thy neighbor.” Can she reveal the killer’s identity before they strike again?

Praise for Murder, Local Style:

“The beauties and customs of Hawai‘i provide a striking backdrop for a murder with an unexpected motive.”

Kirkus Reviews 

 

“Karst's latest in her Orchid Isle series is an enjoyable read filled with Hawaiian ambiance, a likable heroine, and a meaty murder.”

Booklist 

 

Buy links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop 

Congrats, Leslie!

Halloween Icebox Cake—Hold the Radioactive Bananas! by Ang Pompano plus a giveaway!

Ang Pompano: You may remember Joey and James from last Halloween, when they made Graveyard Pudding. 

Since then, they've been honing their culinary skills at home. Joey has become a guacamole guru, while James has perfected the art of making hot dogs with his hot dog maker.

When I asked what they wanted to make for this year's Halloween post, they both voted for icebox cake. Great, I thought. But icebox cake isn't exactly a Halloween classic.

Then I decided, why not? We'd wing it. With no real recipe in mind, we got to work one day while the boys were on school vacation. Our only goal was to have fun. We started with a basic icebox cake and added Halloween touches as we went along.

HERE'S WHAT WE USED

- 1 package instant chocolate pudding

- 1 package instant vanilla pudding

- Graham crackers

- Heavy whipping cream 

- Bananas, sliced

- Sprinkles, chocolate chips, and Halloween candy of your choice

- Food coloring

Optional ingredient: two active kids. They may make things a little chaotic, but that's half the fun.

Step 1: Make the pudding. Prepare both flavors according to the package directions.

Step 2: Give the vanilla pudding a Halloween makeover. 

They decided to turn the vanilla pudding pumpkin orange. The boys reached for the red and yellow food coloring, but discovered that the pudding's natural yellowish color meant they needed only a few drops of red to get the shade they wanted.

Step 3: Taste-test everything. Any good chef will tell you that frequent taste tests are essential. The boys were happy to do their part.

Step 4: Whip the cream.

James whipped up some cream for an extra dose of goodness. Refrigerate it until you're ready to assemble the cake. And if anyone took a shortcut and used whipped topping, these guys wouldn't tell.

Step 5: Start building your layers.

Joey calls the next step "making pudding lasagna." Put a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of your dish. Spread a layer of pudding over the crackers. Joey started with the pumpkin-colored vanilla pudding, while James went straight for the chocolate. 

Step 6: Add the bananas. Or don't!

Joey added a layer of bananas. James passed, explaining that bananas are radioactive. That was news to me. We looked it up and it turned out he was technically right! I had to admire James for bringing a little science into the dessert prep. But who knew an icebox cake should come with a radiation warning? 

Step 7: Keep layering.

Continue alternating graham crackers, pudding, and bananas, if you're using them, until you reach the top of your dish.

Step 8: Add the finishing touches.
Cover the final layer with whipped cream. Then let the Halloween decorating begin! The boys added Halloween candy and chocolate chips to decorate their masterpieces. Cover and refrigerate the cakes until the graham crackers soften and the layers set. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Step 9: The most important step. Don't forget to lick the spoons.

Step 10: The Finished Creations! 

Two icebox cakes, two happy chefs. Missing from the picture—one very tired granddude. We set out to have some fun, and I'd say the mission was accomplished. Have a spooky and delicious Halloween!

Readers, how old were you when you first started helping in the kitchen? Do you think kids should be encouraged to experiment with food, or should they learn to follow a recipe exactly as written?

Comment below and one lucky reader will win a Kindle edition of Death Camas: Best New England Crime Stories 2026, featuring the story "Cough Lasagnas and Salty Memories" by our Mystery Lovers' Kitchen pal Edith Maxwell, my own story, "The Angel of Sachem Creek," and plenty of other great crime stories by some of New England's best authors. Don't forget to leave your email address. 

ORDER DEATH CAMAS HERE

Simmering Secrets releases on November 3, 2027

You can pre-order Simmering Secrets here

Visit me at angpompano.com

Red Velvet Cupcakes Guest #AlexErickson #giveaway #Halloween

MADDIE DAY here, delighted to welcome my friend Alex Erickson to the blog with a yummy recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes and a giveaway of Death by Red Velvet Latte, his sixteenth Bookstore Café Mystery!

I forgot that today starts our two weeks of Halloween recipes, which means I forgot to tell Alex. You could still make these work by sticking a tiny toy knife in each cupcake or adding ghost faces! 

Take it away, Alex.

I’m not a cook. Or a baker, for that matter. But because I’m lactose intolerant, eating out is often a dangerous proposition, so it’s usually best to make my own food—desserts included. In Death by Red Velvet Latte, Krissy doesn’t have the same issues as me, so her red velvet wedding cake, along with the accompanying latte, would be similar to what you might find at a bakery or in a store. But for me, this little recipe works, especially when you use alternative ingredients that aren’t so milky.

Red Velvet Cupcakes 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white sugar

½ cup butter 

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk**

1 fluid ounce red food coloring**

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder** 

1 teaspoon salt

**Notes:

**Because of my lactose intolerance, I made my own buttermilk (1 cup of lactose-free milk with one tablespoon of distilled vinegar - let set for 5 minutes or until it thickens and looks like it curdled)

**Gel food coloring will give a more vibrant red color than a liquid food coloring.

**It’s preferred to use a regular cocoa powder. I used a Dutch-process cocoa powder which resulted in a darker chocolate color (combined with not having gel food coloring)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two cupcake pans with liners. Recipe will make roughly 24 cupcakes depending on pan size. Mine is smaller so we ended up with 28.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

 

Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Mix in eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring, and vanilla.

Stir in baking soda and vinegar.

Stir combined flour and cocoa powder mixture into the batter.

Spoon batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

Frost with desired frosting (I used a store-bought brand that is lactose free, but feel free to make your own to taste). Frosting tip was an Open Star #32.

Enjoy with the hot drink of your choice and a good mystery!

Readers: Want to win a copy of Death by Red Velvet Latte? Just comment below with your favorite dessert—especially one that’s lactose free. I could always use more options!

As bookstore café owner Krissy Hancock worries over her wedding plans, the double murder of rival bakers really takes the cake . . .

At Krissy’s Death by Coffee bookstore café in Pine Hills, Ohio, she’s trying out a new red velvet latte, which she also plans to serve at her wedding along with the red velvet cake a local baker is making. But with the wedding only weeks away, the baker has to cancel due to health reasons. What should have been a cakewalk turns into a last-minute scramble. Krissy and her fiancé Paul meet with two competing cake decorators at the same time, who seem more interested in going at each other than baking her cake.

The next day, when Krissy walks into the bakery to make her choice, she finds both bakers dead with a red velvet cake splattered on the floor. Did they kill each other? she wonders. Over a cake? But soon it’s revealed this mystery has many layers, and any way you slice it, Krissy has to do two more things before she walks down the aisle: solve the murder—and find another baker. Piece of cake, right?

Death by Red Velvet Latte is the 16^th book in the Bookstore Café series.

Alex Erickson is a mystery author with a handful of books under his belt. He lives in Ohio and can be found online at alexericksonbooks.com or contacted by email at alexericksonbooks@gmail.com.

 

Pumpkin Yogurt Bark #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon #Halloween

     

This recipe comes from Style Blueprint but I've made a number of adaptations.  I had vanilla yogurt so I went with that thinking vanilla would go with the rest of the flavors.  My granola has cinnamon in it so I swapped the cinnamon for 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice.  I didn't think the swirl of peanut butter would be necessary with all the other flavors going on so I omitted it.  For the toppings, I added cinnamon pecan granola, Reese's Peanut Butter Baking Chips along with orange and black sprinkles for Halloween!  Tip:  I taped the parchment paper to the cookies sheet to keep it from slipping.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup pumpkin purée

1-2 tbsp maple syrup  

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp peanut butter

1/4 cup granola

Additional toppings as desired: chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or dried fruits

 

Line a cookie sheet with either wax paper or parchment paper

 

 

Mix yogurt, pumpkin purée, maple syrup and cinnamon

 

 

Spread mixture into a rough rectangle on your lined cookie sheet

 

Dot with spoonfuls of peanut butter and using a knife, swirl the peanut butter through the yogurt mixture.

Sprinkle desired toppings over yogurt

 

Freeze for at least on hour then break into pieces 

 

 It's never too early to start the season...!

 

  

 

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 . . . 

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