Killer in the Kitchen – A Chesapeake Bay Mystery
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating: PG-13
 
Murder is on the menu -
A celebrity chef poisoned
A bay town reeling
A sleuth pursued

Real estate rule #2: How to sell a house fast – offer a drop-dead kitchen.

When real estate pro Helen Morrisey’s bombshell daughter, Lizzie, a popular home shopping network host, invites her to meet an internationally famous chef, Helen jumps at the chance.  What woman doesn’t want to shake hands with a celebrity and do a little shopping at the same time? 

Even more intriguing, this culinary superstar is about to sell his waterfront mansion and it’s her opportunity to talk business. After all, he couldn’t choose a sharper agent than Helen, could he?  That’s a job that comes to a dead halt when she walks onto the TV kitchen of Cooking with Roberto to find his blood dripping bright red into his signature dish and her daughter collapsed beside him.
 
Detective Joe McAllister arrives to take charge and is none too pleased to find Helen asking his questions. Their on again, off again, romance might sour when she ignores his warnings. 

Undaunted, Helen calls on the personalities and special skills of her Detection Club of famous sleuths to stir this investigation pot. It doesn’t take long before the explosive ingredients of off-camera jealousy, competition, and nasty rumors create a recipe for disaster.  Helen has to solve Roberto’s murder before more tempers boil over and they all get burned.
 
Buy Links:
Order now Amazon
Order Barnes and Noble
Order at Independent Bookstores 

About the Author:

Judy L. Murray is an Independent Publisher IPPY Silver Medalist, a Silver Falchion Award Attendee Winner for Best Cozy, and an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel with her debut Murder in the Master – A Chesapeake Bay Mystery published by Level Best Books. Killer in the Kitchen is second in the series due for release September 2022. A Philadelphia real estate broker and restoration addict, Judy has worked with enough delusional sellers, jittery buyers, testy contractors, and diva agents to fill her head with back-office insight and truth versus gossip. 
 
She began her professional writing career, after graduating in newspaper journalism from the S.I. Newhouse at Syracuse University as a reporter and magazine columnist. She holds a Master’s in Business from Penn State University. She lives atop a cliff on the Chesapeake Bay with her husband. They're buffeted by winds in winter and invaded by family and dogs in summer. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime Chesapeake Chapter and Mystery Writers of America. 
 
Murder in the Master - A Chesapeake Bay Mystery introduced Helen Morrisey, a quick-tongued, gutsy, and mature woman long on loyalty and short on romance. A mystery story addict, Helen’s approach to solving problems was to call on the talents of her favorite, strong-minded female detectives within her own Detection Club, much like Agatha Christie formed in 1930.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “My maiden name is Casanova, like the famous Spanish lover. My grandparents came from Madrid.”
 
Follow her at www.judylmurraymysteries.com to receive her newsletter. Friend her at Judy L Murray Author on Facebook. Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn

Excerpt PG:
 He thrust a hand into his front pants pocket. “I wasn’t angry with you.”
“Then why were you upset?”
“I was pissed at myself.”
She blinked as Parker tunneled a hand through his hair. He was nervous, too. “You’re not making any sense.”
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
His lips tightened to a thin line. “Never mind.”
“Parker, what’s going on with you?”
He hesitated. “You want to know the real reason I didn’t call you after Mark passed away?”
Part of her wanted to run. “Why?”
His eyes darkened. “I wanted to give you time.”
“What are you saying?”
He walked a few feet away, putting a moat of distance between them. The other cars had disappeared, and all that remained was Parker and her. When he turned again, chills spread through her body. “I care for you, Hailey. Deep down you must know how I feel. I’ve always liked you.” Parker rotated back toward the precinct building for a moment. “I was afraid I’d do something stupid you weren’t ready for. So I did the honorable thing. Gave you time to mourn before…before asking you out.” He shook his head. “Now, you’re with this Santino guy, and I’m too late. Again.” He raised his hands in the air. “The story of my life.”
A heavy weight of thick air pressed against her on all sides. Why was everything so difficult lately? “I’m not seeing Santino. He’s a friend. Just like us.”
He moved closer, his breath warming her face. “I don’t want to be a friend. I want more.”
Her eyes blurred. “It’s only been six months since Mark died.”
“Life goes on, Hailey. Mark’s gone.”
“Six months, Parker.” Tears burnt like acid splashing in her eyes. Six months was not nearly
enough time to let go.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it that way.” 
Parker reached over and held her hand. The tenderness in his touch made an instant connection to her heart. Ashamed at her heart’s betrayal, she yanked her hand away and wiped a tear off her cheek.
He held her hand again and whispered. “I love you, Hailey. I always have. Somehow, life or fate, or whatever it is you want to call it, got in our way. I kept my distance when you married Mark, but I never stopped loving you.” He tightened his grasp on her hand. “Now I feel like an idiot because I waited too long.”
“Parker, please. I’m not sure I even want to get involved with someone again.”
“You’ve become so miserable. You’re a strong woman.” His face hardened. “Mark wouldn’t want you to waste your life grieving. He’d want you to go on—and at least try to be happy.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I think deep down, you know it.”
Few people had her pegged so well. She bit her lip, “I do.”

​Guilty as Framed
An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 11
Genre: Cozy Mystery
 
When an elderly man shows up at the home of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, she’s drawn into the unsolved mystery of the greatest art heist in history.
 
Boston mob boss Cormac Murphy has recently been released from prison. He doesn’t believe Anastasia’s assertion that the man he’s looking for doesn’t live at her address and attempts to muscle his way into her home. His efforts are thwarted by Anastasia’s fiancé Zack Barnes.
 
A week later, a stolen SUV containing a dead body appears in Anastasia’s driveway. Anastasia believes Murphy is sending her a message. It’s only the first in a series of alarming incidents, including a mugging, a break-in, another murder, and the discovery of a cache of jewelry and an etching from the largest museum burglary in history.
 
But will Anastasia solve the mystery behind these shocking events before she falls victim to a couple of desperate thugs who will stop at nothing to get what they want?
 
Buy Links:
 
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3QLEYU5
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3Ans5s6
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3tLnT3d
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/guilty-as-framed
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/guilty-as-framed/id6442846272
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guilty-as-framed-lois-winston/1141500980?ean=2940185728703