Jul 11 2016
0

Blog Tour & Spotlight: Toasting Up Trouble by Linda Wiken

Posted by Jennifer in 5 Stars, Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, Reviews / Leave a Comment

toastinguptrouble

Event planner Jennifer “J.J.” Tanner has a full plate, but that’s the way she likes it. First, it’s her turn to choose the recipe for the next meeting of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club, a gathering of foodie friends who experiment with entrées for their creative and gastronomical pleasure. Second, she’s organizing an Italian princess party for the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a high-tech millionaire.

But one thing J.J. didn’t plan on is that the caterer for the event—hotshot chef Antonio Marcotti—would end up murdered the night of the party. Or that she’d end up being a prime suspect after having had a heated argument with the unscrupulous chef. Now it’s up to J.J.—with help from her fellow Club members and a handsome if mysterious private eye—to turn the tables on the real killer…

Amazon/B&N

About the Author

erikachaseFor 14 years, Linda Wiken owned the mystery specialty store, Prime Crime Books in Ottawa, ON. It was with sadness and a sense of anticipation that she closed the store in 2010. Now, she’s embarked on a life of crime between the pages. Her first novel in the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries, A Killer Read, was published April, 2012 as her alter ego, Erika Chase, and was shortlisted for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel at the Malice Domestic conference. There are now five books in the series.

She embarks on a new writing adventure as the real Linda Wiken with another series, the Dinner Club Mysteries, also from Berkley Prime Crime. The first book, Toasting Up Trouble, will be released on July 5, 2016.

Her short stories have appeared in the seven Ladies’ Killing Circle anthologies (three of which she co-edited), and in the magazines Mysterious Intent and Over My Dead Body. She has been short-listed for an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada.

Before life in the world of mystery, she worked as an advertising copywriter, radio producer, journalist and community education worker.  Her non-fiction writing credits include a history of the Parent Preschool Resource Centre and a manual for community newspapers (contract for City of Ottawa).

As a volunteer with the Ottawa Police Service for over 15 years, she developed a strong, sometimes scary interest in police procedures. She wrote weekly crime stats articles for the local community newspapers for them, along with stories for the OPS internal newsletter. She also sang with the Ottawa Police Chorus for several years and now sings with two (other) choirs.

Keeshas and Mojo, her two Siamese cats, share their house with her in Ottawa, ON where she’s lived for over 30 years (she was soooo young when she first arrived!).

Website

Review of Toasting Up Trouble

Review (5 Stars): Toasting Up Trouble is a delicious new culinary mystery that is absolutely to die for.  J.J. Tanner is an event planner who may have her hands full with her new project.  She is in charge of organizing an Italian princess party for a millionaire’s daughter and has to deal with the bad behavior of tyrant caterer chef, Antonio Marcotti.  When Antonio ends up dead the night of the party, J.J. becomes the prime suspect and turns to her friends in the Culinary Capers Dinner Club to help find the true killer before her future goes up in smoke.

I loved Toasting Up Trouble and the food that was described in this mystery made my mouth water.  J.J. was a delightful heroine that was smart and very sassy and I loved the members of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club.  This is a great start to a new series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for these characters.

 

Comments are closed.