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THE UNLOCKING SEASON

Newcomers to Bowen's series may be overwhelmed by the exhaustive detail and the interest in characters’ stories over time.

The production of a TV series chronicling a real-life murder in Joanne Kilbourn-Shreve's family is a fertile ground for conflicts magnified by a shocking death.

The six parts of Sisters and Strangers promise to dramatize the story of family and murder that Joanne has worked to uncover since a fateful summer many years ago. The tone is established by the powerful voice of writer Roy Brodnitz, who’s working with Joanne to ensure the script reflects not just the events, but the relationships driving them. Joanne and her husband, Zack, are both part of the Sisters and Strangers production company Living Skies, which also includes their daughter, Taylor, and Taylor’s partner, Vale, an incandescent young woman perfect for the part of Joanne’s friend Sally. Happy to begin a project that brings Taylor and Vale to their home in Regina, Joanne is horrified when she learns that Roy has had a mental break while scouting locations in Saskatchewan. Terrified and incoherent after separating from the rest of the crew, Roy doesn’t even recognize his colleague and lifelong friend Ainsley Blair. When Roy dies soon after, Joanne hopes to press on with the shooting schedule, though she wonders what truly happened to Roy and who on the set might be involved. Things get even iffier when Ainsley brings in outsider Buzz Wells as a script doctor and new executive producer. It seems as though Joanne’s story will still be told, but how?

Newcomers to Bowen's series may be overwhelmed by the exhaustive detail and the interest in characters’ stories over time.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-77041-528-7

Page Count: 350

Publisher: ECW Press

Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020

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NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY

An interesting puzzle infused with Big Apple attitude.

In trying to revive her failing coffee shop, a woman uncovers murders past and present.

Clare Cosi manages the Village Blend, an iconic Greenwich Village coffee shop, with her former mother-in-law, Madame Blanche Dreyfus Allegro DuBois, the original owner, and her ex-husband, Matteo Allegro, who travels the world in search of specialty coffee beans. A new customer, who says to call him Mr. Scrib, spends hours in the upstairs lounge writing in a notebook until he has a manic episode ending in hospitalization. Bent on enticing more customers, the staff comes up with the idea of reviving the use of the lounge as a writing retreat. The Writer’s Block, as it was once known, was a great success until it became the location of an unsolved murder. One evening while Clare is talking to Madame, noises in the alley draw them out—where they see someone attacking Mr. Scrib, apparently seeking his notebook. A furious Clare chases the miscreant, is hit by an electric scooter, and awakens in the arms of her fiance, NYPD Lieutenant Mike Quinn. A hospital wristband reveals that Mr. Scrib is really Jensen Van Dyne, a member of the original writing group from a period Madame does not like to talk about. Clare, who has a long history of solving murders, is determined to research the people involved, at least one of whom is now a famous author and a friend of Madame’s. To add to her stress, she sees Matt having a secret meeting with their nemesis, Cody Wood, whose national chain sells inferior coffee. Several of the clues she unearths from the past lead her to spend time in the rarified air of New York’s rich and famous seeking a killer.

An interesting puzzle infused with Big Apple attitude.

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

ISBN: 9780593642283

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025

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HOOKED ON A FELINE

Author and heroine both know what they’re doing in this cat-centric cozy.

When a well-liked endodontist and part-time rocker is murdered, a small-town librarian relies on her magical cats and her wits to solve the case.

Sure, Kathleen Paulson’s always known that Mike Bishop played in Johnny Rock and the Outlaws, but she’s never appreciated how good he is until she and her friends see a live reunion concert. It’s unbelievable that the endodontist who perfected her smile can also wail on the guitar and truly rock out. Kathleen’s boyfriend, Marcus, and her closest friend, Roma, are equally in awe. But Mike’s not one to brag, and when Kathleen runs into him after the show, he’s more interested in discussing his recent genealogical research than in projecting a rocker persona. In her librarian role, Kathleen’s been helping Mike find resources to research his Finnamore family history, and he’s finally ready to draft his family tree. Kathleen can even recommend an artist to help Mike turn his research into something beautiful. But before the transition from notes to art can get underway, Marcus calls Kathleen with some shocking information from his role as the Mayville Heights police detective: Mike is dead, and the signs point to murder. Kathleen is shocked that someone would murder Mike, who was universally liked, and feels she must discover the truth. Unlike in many other cozies, Kathleen and Marcus share information in mutual faith that one of them will solve the case. Of course, Kathleen has the advantage of Owen and Hercules, cats with magical powers that may help guide her to answers.

Author and heroine both know what they’re doing in this cat-centric cozy.

Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593199-98-5

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: July 9, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021

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