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Here Comes the Body (A Catering Hall Mystery)
by Maria DiRico

Here Comes the Body (A Catering Hall Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (February 25, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 page
ISBN-10: 1496725344
ISBN-13: 978-1496725349
Digital ASIN: B07R8WYLSC
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After her philandering husband’s boat went down, newly single Mia Carina went back to Astoria, the bustling Queens neighborhood of her youth. Living with her Nonna and her oversized cat, Doorstop, she’s got a whole new life—including some amateur sleuthing . . .
Mia is starting work at Belle View, her father’s catering hall, a popular spot for weddings, office parties, and more—despite the planes that occasionally roar overhead on their way to LaGuardia and rattle the crystal chandelier. Soon she’s planning a bachelor party for a less-than-gentlemanly groom. But it goes awry when the gigantic cake is wheeled in and a deadly surprise is revealed . . .
Since some of her family’s associates are on the shady side, the NYPD wastes no time in casting suspicion on Mia’s father. Now, Mia’s going to have to use all her street smarts to keep him out of Rikers Island . . .
Italian recipes included!
She shook off the moment and returned to the vow renewal reception, passing Felicity Stewart Forbes, who was handing out business cards to a nonplussed knot of senior citizen guests. “Like the saying goes, the future is now,” she fluted. “Especially when you reach a certain age, if you know what I mean.”
“We know what you mean. We’re old.” A man holding tight to the walker in front of him responded with asperity to Forbes, earning a chuckle from Mia.
She found the anniversary couple posing for photos in the outdoor gazebo where they’d renewed their vows. Flushing Bay lay in the distance, as did LaGuardia Airport’s air traffic control tower. Mia was helping their photographer find a camera angle that blocked out the tower when she heard a loud whoop coming from the Bay Ballroom upstairs. They must have wheeled in the pop-out cake, she thought. The photographer finished taking pictures of the anniversary couple and Mia was herding everyone back to the Marina Ballroom when her headset buzzed. It
was Cody.
“We have a situation, ma’am.”
The tone of his voice alarmed her. “What’s going on? And feel free to call me Mia.”
“No one jumped out of the cake.”
“Did you look inside to make sure someone was in there?”
“Affirmative. I had one of the waiters double-check before we wheeled the cake out. Something must be wrong with the lady inside it.”
“I’m on my way.”
She hurried out of the Marina Ballroom into the foyer and was about to start up the stairs when an attractive woman in a trench coat burst through the Belle View front doors. “Sorry I’m late,” she gasped, out of breath. “They switched the N and R trains and I wound up in Forest Hills.”
Mia stared at her. “Who are you?”
The woman opened her coat, revealing a sequined bikini. “Park Lexington. I’m working the bachelor party.”
“You’re the stripper? Then who’s in the—”
Mia’s stomach clenched. She raced up the stairs and burst into the Bay Ballroom. John’s guests whooped and cat-called. “Yeah, baby, finally!” one yelled.
“I’m not the stripper!” Mia yelled back.
Cody helped her climb to the top of the cake. She threw open the lid and peered inside. A woman lay crumpled on the bottom. It was Angie, the call girl who’d paid Ravello Carina a visit only days before.
Mia prayed she was unconscious, but the blood pooling under the knife sticking out of the woman’s chest told a different story.
She’d been murdered.

Review Coming Soon!

Maria DiRico was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Queens and Westchester County. She is a first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side. On her father’s side, her grandfather was a low-level Jewish mobster who disappeared in 1933 under mysterious circumstances. She also writes the award-winning, bestselling Cajun Country Mystery series under the name Ellen Byron.
Website – https://www.ellenbyron.com/catering-hall-mysteries
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CateringHallMysteries/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ellenbyronla
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
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February 24 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
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But she didn’t think that was a bad thing.
Bitches were strong, tough AF, spoke their minds, and definitely didn’t take any crap from anyone. So when anyone called Olivia a bitch, she took it as the best type of compliment. She was strong and tough, never hesitated to speak her mind, and was about as far away from a pushover as one could get.
Great for her job—she’d become a VP at Prestige Media Group, managing some of the best athletes in the world and she was excellent at her career of choice.
Great for her bank account—it was flush, and she could live well on her salary, even in expensive San Francisco.
Not so great for her love life.
Turned out that most guys weren’t super into women who could take care of themselves, women who didn’t need rescuing. Either that, or they wanted her to take care of them, including every night out and sometimes even rent. Now, she didn’t mind paying her fair share, but that’s where she drew the line. Her fair share. As in, she was looking for a partner, not an owner or, worse, to be someone’s mother.
She wanted an equal. But she’d all but given up on finding that.
Until, Cole.
Cole was about as far away from Olivia’s city girl polish as one could get. A retired hockey player, he wore jeans to her suits, cowboy boots to her heels, ate simple food to her gourmet. Hell, he lived on a ranch half the year.
And yet . . . he also challenged her mind. Never gave her an inch. Not to mention, he was gorgeous, kind, incredibly insightful and always, always, called her on her B.S.
He’d done it when she’d been his agent, and continued to do it every time they talked.
The only difference now was that she was no longer his agent and so Olivia was faced with the age-old question . . .
Did she play it safe or take a leap of faith?

About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team — the Sharks! — are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise is the mom to two exuberant boys and lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or find more information about her books at http://www.elisefaber.com.
Connect with Elise!
Website: https://www.elisefaber.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisefaberauthor/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/faberelise
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Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2Ilspyd


Clint Marino wasn’t the definition of a perfect catch. He was damaged, cruel…and carried the reputation of being many people’s worst nightmare. So how had he come into my life?
Simple.
I was a job he needed to complete.
But somewhere along the way, things became disjointed, confused. I found myself holding onto him instead of running away.
Did that make me naïve? More than likely. But after learning his weakness, I wanted to fix it. Seeing the blatant pain he tried to hide, I had an overwhelming desire to help.
I soon became enthralled, addicted to his broken pieces, blind to the storm headed our way.
When it hit, its impact was devastating, leaving me gasping for air…

I stepped off the elevator and walked up to her door, raising my hand to knock, but paused, slowly turning the knob instead. When it turned, I gradually pushed the door open, giving the immediate area a thorough search before stepping inside. She sat on the couch, feet tucked underneath her. The dress she wore to the club no longer hugged her petite body. Instead, she wore thin leggings and an oversized sweatshirt that fell off one of her shoulders.
Did she think changing her clothes made her less attractive? Did she assume it would prevent me from craving her? Erase the need to rip her clothes off and give her everything I had to offer? My dick throbbed.
I shook my head, trying to collect my thoughts. This meeting was strictly professional. A job. It didn’t matter how tempting she was, the innocent vibes she put off. How the thin fabric of the dress she wore at the club allowed me to visualize every curve and dip of her body.
She was reckless tonight. The Valerie I had studied a year before would have never acted so carelessly. She was always hesitant to show her beauty, except when she danced. Those moments were the ones that caused a beast like me to bow before her.
Her actions tonight had proven only one thing. She was hurting, confused.
Something had changed in her.
Watching her on the couch, she had the same look as in the photograph I had of her. Lonely. Distant. Defeated.
She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. No blink. No gasp. No typical reaction people gave me when they knew my presence wasn’t necessarily welcome. She knew I had a purpose.
“What do you want?”
She sounded tired, voicing the same question she had twice before. I paused. What did I want?
I stepped farther into the living room and rested my arm on the mantel of the fireplace that warmed the small apartment I knew easily cost three grand a month. Her daddy’s money reeked in every inch of the space. The term privileged fit her perfectly. Was she aware of how her father earned the money that kept his family so comfortable? I was pretty sure it was the reason Valerie’s file had been thrown my way. Threatening what a person adored most was an old tactic to get somebody to do what you wanted. It never failed.
“Do you know who I am, Valerie?”
I focused on the flames and retrieved her phone from my back pocket, carefully placing it on the mantel, waiting. I could hear her swallow and shift on the couch, but I didn’t look up.
“You saved me,” she whispered. “If you wouldn’t have been out there, he would’ve…”
Her words seemed to catch in her throat, proving she knew what was bound to happen, making peace with it. What had made her give up?
“No one cared. Nobody tried to stop him.”
My eyes shifted to hers, catching the question in them. She was doubtful of my intentions, which gave me relief. It let me know she saw my truth.
“Not every savior has good intentions, Ms. Reid. Not every person who comes to your rescue wants to help.”
Seemingly of my own accord, my feet carried me over to the couch. I stopped, towering above her, breathing like a starved man waiting to feast.
“Maybe they are saving you for themselves. To punish. To break.”
She sucked in a breath. But my proximity seemed to ignite arousal, not fear. She scooted closer. Her body was in the perfect position for me to claim. I wanted to mark her with my scent. Had the sickening desire to keep her locked away for myself.
“Are you going to hurt me?” Her voice was low, husky, as I crouched down in front of her, our faces barely an inch apart. I was hard. She was willing. The only sound in the room that of the crackling fire and our own breathing. In that instant, when my calloused hands lightly caressed her thighs as I looked into her pale gray eyes, I made my decision.
“Get some sleep. Ms. Reid.”
I stood swiftly, making my way to the door, the anger and need building inside me threatening to burst through.
Without turning, I continued. “And a word of advice… Always lock your door. You never know who might barge in.”


Brittani Marí is a writer and reader. Her friends call her crazy, her family accepts her with all her flaws, and she makes sure to focus all her energy into creating the most suspenseful, sexy novels she can. When she isn’t working on her latest book or reading something new, you can find her sipping martinis with her besties, spending time with her family, or traveling to a new destination. The Illicit Affairs is the first story she’s decided to share with the world…and it’s only the beginning.
Series: Business and Pleasure #1
Beckett Anderson needs to control his world…
He has power, respect and a multi-billion-dollar empire, yet something is missing.
Now, the man who has everything needs one last thing: someone to share it all
with. Can he find someone willing to commit to a man who’s unable to love?
A chance encounter and an impromptu business proposal could be the
solution they are both looking for, until two pink lines destroy their illusion
of control…
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AUFree in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt

US AFTER YOU by Claudia Burgoa
Release Date: March 5th
Add to Goodreads:
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Blurb:
I’m an independent woman.
I’ve learned never to ask for help.
I’ve been on my own for years.
Until my sister leaves me to take care of my niece.
If only they had left her in my capable hands.
Instead, I share custody with him.
Infamous billionaire, Tucker Decker.
He likes his relationships casual and free of commitment. Family ties are at the bottom of his list.
He’s ruthless, impulsive, cold-hearted, and hot as sin.
But when it comes to his former bandmates, he’d do anything for them.
Tragedy demands sacrifice.
We’re forced to move-in together to care for my niece.
He has to learn that there’s more to life than money.
I need to learn how to trust…and how to love.
But when the ghosts of our past come back to haunt us, can we survive them and each other?

Excerpt:
The party runs smoothly. Patrick or Rocco remains close to my sister unless his two friends are around. Thank goodness my parents sent their apologies. They’ll be at the wedding.
It’s past nine when the crowd begins to thin. The caterer and the cleaning crew are bustling around, making sure things remain tidy.
The door of the kitchen swings open, I’m expecting to see Grams who was going to help Gramps go upstairs. Instead, it’s him.
My cells buzz with excitement, which I don’t quite understand. He’s not my type. I like clean shaven, laid back, trustworthy guys.
“Need any help?” he asks.
“Why would you ask? Is this some kind of outreach program? One kind act to make up for your daily shit?”
He lifts his eyebrows and studies me.
“What is it?” I ask. “You keep watching me.”
He smiles, extending his hand. “Let’s start again, Tucker Dean Decker.”
The contact of his skin against mine sends a fluttering sensation along my extremities and my stomach. My breath quickens. I have the need to run away from him.
Those eyes have turned warm, and for some reason, he prolongs the grip longer than he should. I feel the warmth of his skin. Suddenly, I’m too aware of his closeness. For a moment, I look at his big calloused hand, swallowing mine. I enjoy the electric pulses that his touch creates.
Scared of how I feel, I tug my hand out of his grasp, taking a step back.
“Is it the haircut or the five-thousand-dollar suit?” he asks. “There has to be a good reason why you don’t like me.”
“Maybe both,” I reply. “Tell me, Dean, is that name strictly to pick up women?”
He shakes his head. “It’s a way to keep undesired attention. Introducing myself as Tucker Decker is…something I stopped doing a long time ago.”
I laugh. “Your ego has been pumped that much that you think women will throw themselves at your feet?”
“Baby, I don’t need a bunch of women to stroke my ego to know when a woman is attracted to me. The question is, why are you fighting it?” he says boldly.
“You’re full of shit,” I say, blowing out some air, before I smack him.
“Tuck, the jet is ready. We promised to meet Nana for brunch,” Ethan says.
“Is Rocco coming?”
Ethan steps inside, shaking his head. “Nope, and it’s for the best, Zeke isn’t going to take the new Patrick well. At least the fiancée is sweet.”
“You’re judging her without knowing her,” I declare.
“If you knew Rocco, you’d know why we’re cautious,” Ethan says. “I can’t apologize for watching over my friend. Aren’t you concerned that your sister is dating a rock star?”
A pit of hopelessness opens in my stomach, should I be concerned? “I…”
“He’s a good guy,” Tucker says. “Trust takes time, and I’m sure it’s both ways. We don’t expect you to welcome him with open arms.”
“I trust my sister,” I say.
“Maybe we don’t trust Rocco and that’s the root of it all,” he tells me and winks, leaving without letting me ask any questions.
Who are you marrying, Sienna Heywood?
About the Author:
Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author.
She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breath away.
She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and her youngest two children. She has a sweet Bichon, Macey, who thinks she’s the ruler of the house. She’s only partially right.
When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At night, I like to binge-watch shows with his equal geek husband.

Connect w/Claudia:
Website: https://claudiayburgoa.com/wp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaYBurgoa
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Claudiasbooklovinchicas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Author_ClaudiaB
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202946.Claudia_Y_Burgoa
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36lO6qe
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/claudia-burgoa
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Paws For Murder (The Barking Mad Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (January 5, 2020)
Print Length: 163 pages
Digital ASIN: B083JKWXVZ
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Welcome to Adlebury where village life can be downright deadly.
Veterinarian Petronella Knight seems to have it all. A job she loves, good friends, and patients who adore her. But when she gets into an argument with dog breeder Gladys Harrington, and she finds the woman dead, she also finds herself accused of murder.
Ella will need all her friends, including the new and very handsome American policeman, and all her sharpest sleuthing skills to figure out who murdered the dog breeder before another dead body pops up.
Paws for Murder contains one enthusiastic amateur detective with a penchant for rescuing animals, a guard duck called George, a large amount of homemade gooseberry wine, and a very confused American who has never met an English village quite like this one.
You’d be Barking Mad to pass this one by.

Review Coming Soon!

Scarlett English is a crazy cat lady who likes solving mysteries. Or actually, make that a dog lady. Much to her chagrin, the police have never sought to consult her, which is why there seems to be so much unsolved crime. Especially—surprisingly enough—in the small English village where she lives. So, armed with curiosity, a penchant for taking in strays, a love of homemade wine and a good gossip, she puts her detecting talents to good use murdering her imaginary friends and neighbors and solving the cases one story at a time.
Purchase Link – Amazon
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Cover Design: Melissa Gill Designs
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Only available at the following retailers
for a VERY limited time!
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