Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor
Halloween is a fun and festive time of year and so is this trio of seasonal treats! These are 3 very different seasonal mysteries by 3 different top authors — all packaged up into one neat and tidy book.
Carlene O’Connor kicks it off with her Halloween Cupcake Murder. Ms. O’Connor features Tara Meehan from her Home to Ireland Mystery Series. Tara, the owner of an architectural salvage store, is perusing the local curiosity shop. Much to her surprise, she winds up being the winner of the shop’s cupcake drawing. Even more surprising is her purchase – a very old and mysterious painting on a piece of slate.
Things start getting far too scary when Tara realizes her slate painting has some serious lore and legends attached to it. And while Halloween may be a spooky time of year, it ain’t got nothing on the eerie underworld secret society linked to her painting. Halloween cupcakes become creepy – someone winds up dead – a cloaked figure prowls the streets. It’s Halloween; Tara is going to “trick” the killer, but catching him will be a real “treat.”
Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper, proves that even in Santaland where everything is cheerful and merry, crime shows no mercy. Someone has hijacked a large candy corn shipment – and for Santaland right before Halloween, this is a REALLY big deal! Santaland and Christmastown are all things sugary and sweet, but a shortage of candy corn is a bitter major disaster.
But when the nefarious candy corn caper leads to straight up murder, Mrs. Claus is hot on a cold trail, more determined than ever to unmask the killer and save Halloween! The problem is, as Mrs. Claus gets closer to the killer – the killer gets closer to her – and that’s definitely not a good thing!
This charming and mythical tale is a step out of the cozy norm – sure to please fans of Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus Mystery Series while reeling in new fans who love the unique theme.
Carol J. Perry shares her tale A Triple Layer Halloween Murder featuring characters from her Witch City Mystery Series. It’s Halloween season in Salem, Massachusetts. WICH-TV’s program director/part-time reporter, Lee Barrett, is enjoying the month-long Halloween celebrations in Salem. No one is too concerned when prominent local bakery owner, Pat Duncan, leaves town quite unexpectedly.
As the days go by, things are getting mighty suspicious about Pat’s vanishing act. To leave town on a lark is not unusual for Pat– but when he doesn’t even contact his wife and leaves his bakery employees in a lurch during the busy Halloween season, something smells – and it’s not just those burned cupcakes he left in the oven!
The reporter side of Lee rises to the occasion and uncovers a convoluted plot regarding the baker’s disappearance.
This trio of tales will give readers a chance to sample different settings, different writing styles and very different twists on the Halloween theme. If you’ve never read anything by Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland and/or Carol J. Perry, this is a perfect compilation to get you started. And if you’re already a fan of these fine mystery writers, than you already know you’re going to enjoy this brand-new Halloween Treat!
A copy of this book and cover photo were provided by the publisher, Kensington Publishing.