Spotlight on Maddie Day's Cozy Capers Book Group #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here, delighted that Murder at the Toy Soldier, my eighth Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, releases on Tuesday! 

To celebrate the new book, I thought I'd shine the spotlight on the entire series from book one to the latest.

When I was beginning the series, I created the perfect fictional coastal Cape Cod town for a cozy setting. If you know the upper Cape, Westham is vaguely modeled on Falmouth. I dreamed up Mackenzie Almeida, her bike shop, her family, and her friends in the Cozy Capers book group.

Murder on Cape Cod is book one.

My editor proposed the title, and then suggested that each following book would feature a location or business in Westham. "I can do that," I said.

Because Mac owns a bike shop and I no longer ride, I needed to do some bike shop research. Luckily, Falmouth has Corner Cycle, and the staff were more than helpful when I wandered in asking questions and taking pictures, especially in the repair room.

Many coastal US towns have shops that sell salt water taffy, so I made up Salty Taffy's candy shop as a Main Street business. Book group member Gin owns the store, and Gin and Mac are good friends and walking pals. But when Gin becomes a suspect in Murder at the Taffy Shop, the Cozy Capers get to work to clear her name.

I loved this display a local fan made for her library's Books in Bloom event - complete with taffy, seashells, and a mini bike!

Book group member Tulia owns the Lobstah Shack, a popular seafood lunch and takeout restaurant. In book three, Murder at the Lobstah Shack, Tulia opens her place in the morning only to find a body in the walk-in cooler.

Each book in this series includes recipes, and I was delighted when Doreen Sheridan over at Criminal Element included my recipe for lobster quiche from this book.

In the next book, Murder in a Cape Cottage, Mac and her boyfriend Tim are about to get married on New Year's Eve. Sure, finding a skeleton in the wall of their house as they start renovations threatens to throw a wrench in the works. It's only six days until the wedding, and Mac's grandmother Reba steps in to invent their wedding cocktail.

Murder in a Cape Bookstore, the fifth in the series, was a natural for a series featuring a book group, and the book hit #1 in cozy mysteries!

I took an intriguing research trip down a rabbit hole to find a tropical natural poison for the murder weapon. Let's just say this little blue creature plays a role!

In Murder in a Cape Cottage, I invented a local pub called the Rusty Anchor. It's the setting for finding the body in book six, Murder in the Rusty Anchor. Every time I write about the pub, I want to stop in for a draft beer and plate of hot, crispy Anchor fries - and then I remember I made it up! 

The most recent book is Murder at Cape Costumers, which I had a lot of fun writing. It's set at Halloween, using inspiration from a news article I had cut out from the Boston Globe and saved.

You can read the whole story in my guest post from last summer over at Jungle Red Writers.

And that brings us to Murder at the Toy Soldier, which you can bet I'll be celebrating on Tuesday! 

I shared Tim's recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies here on August 14, and you'll have Tulia's Fish Cakes next Friday. Mac's mom Astra shared a day in her life at Dru's Book Musings last Friday, and Monday I write about characters who need caring for on Debra Goldstein's blog, It's Not Always a Mystery. 

Mostly I'm just glad the book is nearly out and about to land in the hands of fans and readers everywhere. It's already had some lovely reviews, including from Dru Ann Love herself. 

• "This is a fast-paced page turner that I could not put down. It was great fun to reconnect with the characters I have grown invested in. Though this is a series, it will be easy to jump in with this book. Then you will be hooked!" -Suzie on Goodreads
• "...just the right pace, with an engaging plot and a variety of suspects (as usual) ... Maddie Day does an amazing job ... I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantastic cozy mystery series to binge-read! - Katie K on Goodreads
• "...another fun, cozy mystery with an engaging cast, a solid mystery, and plenty of small town charm." - DeeG Reads on Goodreads
• "...a delightfully entertaining whodunit and one of the best books in this charming series." - Dru's Book Musings

Thanks for letting me shine the spotlight on this popular series. You have plenty of time to get caught up. Book nine, Murder in the Lighthouse, releases in February of 2027, and I've signed a contract for two more books after that!

Readers: Do you have a favorite Cozy Capers book? If you haven't read the series, which book will you begin with? I'll send one commenter a signed copy of the new book!

📚🍪🐟

A Poisonous Pour is out and available wherever books are sold!

Next up is Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, which releases in late August.

My most recent releases are 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.

One Pot Orzo with Tomato, Corn, and Zucchini recipe from Molly MacRae

 

It’s summertime and the tomatoes, corn, and zucchini are delicious! Here’s a one pot meal that makes great use of all three, plus fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. Serve with garlic bread and you’ll be all set.

 

You’ll find a free, downloadable, printable pdf of the recipe below the cooking directions.

 

One Pot Orzo with Tomato, Corn, and Zucchini

Adapted from Lidey Heuck in the New York Times

Serves 4 to 6

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

Black pepper, to taste

1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 pints tiny tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/4 cups orzo

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn

5 ounces (about 1 cup) fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

 

Directions

Over medium, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet for which you have a lid (or a handy cookie sheet or other makeshift lid). Add the onion, lightly season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the zucchini and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring often.

Add the tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely collapsed, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the orzo, corn, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well and turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan 3 or 4 times, until the pasta is cooked. If, as its cooking, the pasta looks dry, add another 1/4 cup water.

Off the heat, add the mozzarella and Parmesan. Stir gently until just combined. Top with more fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

 

🍅 click here for a free, downloadable, printable pdf of this recipe 🍅

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing from Vicki Delany

Sometimes, in our rush to update everything and experiment with textures and flavours and add extravagant decorations, we forget about the tried and true. As they say in literature, the classics are classic for a reason

Case in point is these vanilla cupcakes. Simple. Plain, Easy. And absolutely delicious. I made these because my daughter specifically asked for vanilla cupcakes for her birthday so I dug around for a recipe.

Obviously you can use any sort of icing you like – a soft lemon flavour might be nice with these – but we enjoyed the standard vanilla buttercream. A touch of sprinkles on the top gave them a nice birthday feeling.

I used silicone muffin tins for this, which required no preparation, nor did I use cupcake papers. If you don’t have silicone, pour the batter into cupcake papers or greased and floured muffin tins.

I made the cupcakes in advance of the event and froze them for about a week, then defrosted them prior to icing them. 

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes:

•  2 cups sifted cake and pastry flour
•  1 cup granulated sugar
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 cup butter softened
•  1/2 cup milk
•  2 eggs
•  1 teaspoon vanilla

Vanilla Buttercream Icing:

•  1 cup butter softened
•  5 cups sifted icing sugar
•  1/2 cup whipping cream
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Vanilla Cupcakes: In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using electric mixer on low speed, mix in butter, milk, eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Spoon into 12 cupcake or muffin cups or papers, filling about three-quarters full. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. 

Vanilla Buttercream Icing: In large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Alternately beat in sugar and cream, making 2 additions of sugar. Beat in vanilla. 

Make the Cupcakes:

Make the Icing:

 

Follow Vicki at www.vickidelany.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. You can sign up to receive Vicki’s quarterly newsletter at Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact

Now available: Whose Body in the Library by Eva Gates, the thirteenth Lighthouse Library mystery

Coming July 28, 2026: Bubble, Bubble, Tea & Trouble a Tea by the Sea mystery

 

Summer Garden Niçoise Salad by Lucy Burdette

LUCY BURDETTE: John’s garden is bursting with produce right now. Please admire the sunflowers, some of which he planted and others who seeded themselves from last year. We have also been happily flooded with shishito peppers and green beans, and the tomatoes are beginning to rush in as well. I know many of us are being careful about lettuce and peppers—I happily eat from both our garden and the farmer’s market. (Washed of course!)

Today’s dish is what Sam Sifton would call a no-recipe recipe, with guidelines that are merely suggestions. Feel free to replace the vegetables you don’t have or don’t prefer. You can also replace the tuna with shredded chicken or sliced steak. All of the vegetables I used were either from our local farmers market or directly from John's Garden.

Ingredients for the salad

One can tuna, drained

4 to 6 small red potatoes

One large tomato

One cucumber

A large handful of green beans

2 to 3 beets

Shishito peppers

Two eggs

6 ounces or so feta cheese

Vinaigrette

Heat the oven to 425, douse the beans, peppers, and potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the green beans, Shishito peppers, and potatoes until soft and beginning to brown. You will probably need to take the beans and peppers out before your potatoes will be finished.

Set these aside and let them cool. Cut the tomato into bite-size chunks, ditto with the cucumber and the feta cheese. Slice the beets. Boil the eggs until just cooked, about nine minutes. Cool these as well.

Now comes the artistic part: start with a plate of salad greens. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and green beans around the outside of the lettuce. In the center of each plate, arrange a mound of tuna fish. Slide the sliced beets and the halved eggs into an opening.

Mix up a simple vinaigrette, using mustard, balsamic, or red wine, and good olive oil. Add a sprinkle of sugar and another of salt and mix well. Drizzle over top of each salad. You could add olives too, and red onions if you like them. Serve!

A DELICIOUS DECEPTION can be found at a bookstore near you!

A Delicious Deception has a slightly different tone than some of the earlier books, with more emphasis on family, but I loved it just as much as the rest of the series. Ms. Burdette has created characters who have grown in such natural, believable ways. She delivers an excellent mystery while also weaving in a major, emotional turning point in their lives. There is drama, murder, secrets, late-pregnancy feelings and hormones, a sick father-in-law, home renovations, a fun baby shower, and friends and family ready to tackle whatever comes their way. And in the end, a beautiful baby! Escape with Dollycas

This cozy mystery expertly balances personal stakes with a fast-paced plot in a consistent Burdette fashion. It’s a suspenseful, heart-filled addition to the series that proves Hayley is just as effective at solving crimes as she is at critiquing menus. Netgalley reviewer

Book 15 in the Key West series, paperback edition of THE MANGO MURDERS, is in bookstores now!

USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mystery series including A POISONOUS PALATE and A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS. Join her mailing list right here.