It's that time of year when we say good-bye to the old and hello to the new. I wish you and yours the happiest of holidays.
Since this traditional song originated with the Scottish and was around during the Regency era - in fact, it was well-known thanks to the poet Robert Burns putting the lyrics to paper - it only seems fitting to include it on this blog and to present the song as it was originally intended--the Scottish way.

Aria for Murder (A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery)
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Romance Rating: 2-3
 
Excitement mounts as the moment arrives for brilliant young violinist Julia Kogan's debut in the orchestra of the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera. But the high-stakes milieu of this musical mecca is rocked to its core when, during an onstage murder scene, Julia's mentor, a famous conductor, is assassinated on the podium. Thrust into the investigation when her closest colleague in the orchestra is named chief suspect, Julia teams up with opera-loving NYPD detective Larry Somers to solve the murder. In the process, they are shocked to discover the venerable opera house is rife with a web of secrets, intrigue, and lethal rivalries. But all bets are off when Julia suddenly finds herself the real killer's prime target.
 
“A ruthless and clever killer haunts the Metropolitan Opera and the hidden recesses of Lincoln Center. Violinist Julia Kogan, a rising star in the pit, must unmask the murderer or become a victim herself. Erica Miner’s richly satisfying Aria for Murder delivers a compelling mystery, replete with devious characters, glorious music, and plenty of behind-the-scenes dirty laundry. A musical and dramatic triumph. Bis! Encore!”—James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author
 
“Erica Miner, the Agatha Christie of the opera world, continues the genre with a wickedly wonderful…brand new thriller, Aria for Murder…This is simply brilliant writing. Bravissima!”
—Richard Stilwell, international opera star
 
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Aria-Murder-Julia-Kogan-Mystery/dp/1685121985/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1669763489&sr=8-1

EXCERPT:

Prologue
 
Chi è morto, voi, o il vecchio?
Che domanda da bestia! Il vecchio.
 Who’s dead, you or the old man?
What an idiotic question! The old man.
 —Mozart, Don Giovanni, Act I
  
Collateral damage. Sometimes it just can’t be avoided.
 That was what his partner had told him. When you’re trying to kill someone, other people can get in the way. It’s not planned. It just happens. Though the Metropolitan Opera’s orchestra pit was the largest in the world, when the orchestration of an opera was vast, as in Wagner or Strauss, things could get quite crowded for the one hundred or so musicians squeezed together there. Tonight’s Verdi was no exception. Grand opera at its loftiest, with plenty of brass, extra strings, and the like. He would do his best to hit his target precisely. But it wasn’t an exact science. And if, under pressure, he was slightly off, well...
Tanto peggio, as they say in French.
He chortled to himself. Everyone in the Met knew “tanto peggio” was Italian, not French.
He salivated with anticipation as he lovingly cleaned his VAL Russian sniper rifle with its special bronze-bristled brush, and oiled and lubricated the ammunition chamber with the fine-spray One Shot gun cleaner and a cotton swab. He picked up the last tiny fragments of powder residue with an alcohol patch threaded through a needle attached to the brush. Then he polished the entire instrument with one of his special-order McAlister microfiber gun cleaning cloths. 
If you look after your firearm, when the time comes, it will look after you. 
A vintage model, no longer available, the VAL was precious, but not because of its monetary or historic value. It was his own personal Stradivarius: a thing of beauty, a state-of-the-art example of genius in design at its time, and still as reliable as ever. He knew that the cartridge of this rifle, with the immense power contained within its barrel, was capable of forcing a bullet to explode at a higher speed than a mere handgun: the kind of velocity he needed to accomplish his goal. 
Lord knows I need something dependable—and powerful. 
No one knew he kept the VAL right inside the opera house, practically under everyone’s noses. To head off the possibility that they might install metal detectors at the Met—which everyone seemed to be doing these days—he had found the perfect hiding place for his beloved firearm, in a far-off corner away from prying eyes. It remained there, at the ready, just in case he needed it. No one was aware of its existence, let alone its hidden location. 

About the Author:
A former violinist with the Metropolitan Opera, I am an award-winning author, screenwriter, arts journalist, and lecturer based in the Pacific Northwest. My debut novel, Travels with my Lovers, won the Fiction Prize in the Direct from the Author Book Awards, and my screenplays have won awards in a number of recognized competitions. Aria for Murder, the first in my Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series, released on Oct. 28, 2022.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “To my knowledge, I’m the only former Met Opera musician who is writing operatic mysteries.”
 
Author Contacts:
https://www.facebook.com/erica.miner1/
https://twitter.com/EmwrtrErica
https://www.instagram.com/emwriter3/

BODY SNATCHED
Genre: Cozy Mystery
PG-13
 
What’s worse than losing a body from a funeral home? Losing two. But mortician and amateur sleuth, Lily Reynolds has a hunch. The new visitor in town, Rick Drakon, may have charmed his way into her life but she’s not fooled by his smooth talking ways. Problem is, Rick is a long-time friend of Lily’s new husband, Detective James Rivers.
While James is busy convincing her to look elsewhere, Lily embarks on a dangerous path toward uncovering the truth. Will this case come between the couple or will Lily find herself closer to evil than ever before?   
 
Excerpt:
 
Black River reminded James of one thing: murder.
Hidden in dense foliage, the river stretched out far beyond his view and also happened to be a perfect spot to dump a body. He had no doubt there had been many missing people over the years who wound up weighed down by rocks at the bottom of the river until their flesh disintegrated into nothing.
His boss, Donald Abrams had a bad habit of telling him about their worst cases, probably to freak him out. The sicko with the garden of people floating upright like weeds was particularly gruesome. The chills he got from that one made the hairs on his neck stand up. However, since Manorview’s crime rate was low, James wasn’t entirely sure if the stories were folklore or not.
“Congrats on your last case. I heard you’re a big boss detective now,” Rick said as he reeled in his empty line.
 James impaled a worm on his hook and swung the line out into the water. “Thanks. I wouldn’t say big boss though. More like maybe I’ll get to keep my job.”
 “Have you ever caught anything here?” Rick asked.
 “No, but I hear there’s trout.”
And bodies.
 
Buy Link:
 
https://books2read.com/u/3LVx5X

:About the Author:
 
When Ana Diamond isn't writing about tough gals finding love in unexpected places, she’s at work by day in the medical field. She writes romantic cozy mystery novels with feisty strong women and alluring men who can’t resist them. Her books are fast paced, entertaining and heartfelt all at once.
Ana is a 2020 Tara Contest Finalist for Body Conscious and 2015 Melody of Love contest finalist. She lives in New York with her husband, two children and two needy but wildly entertaining kitty cats.
Something unique about me: “I was born in Brazil.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
https://twitter.com/AuthorDiamond
https://www.instagram.com/anadiamondauthor/ 
https://www.tiktok.com/@anadiamondauthor 
https://www.facebook.com/anadiamondauthor

STRONG ENOUGH
Genre:  contemporary small-town romance, romantic suspense
Heat level of excerpt – 3.5 out of 5

Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.

Excerpt:
He slowly lowered his head, his breath mingling with hers. But he held back, as if waiting for her permission.
Charlotte’s lips were mere inches from his. Her senses filled with him, with his scent, with the look in his eyes, and the sound of his ragged breathing. She trembled, but she wasn’t sure if it was with excitement or fear. Perhaps it was both.
All she knew was right now she wanted to kiss Damon Greyson more than she’d wanted her next breath. She stretched up on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his.
Damon’s arms came around her and crushed her against his broad chest. Somehow her arms wound themselves around his neck and hung on tight. Every part of his body seemed to fit perfectly with hers, as if they were puzzle pieces made only for each other.
And his mouth. Oh, his clever, wonderful mouth. His kiss was demanding, and yet so utterly tender it made her want to weep. It had been a long time since she’d been kissed like this.
No, she corrected. I’ve never been kissed like this.
​
Buy in Ebook Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo US | Kobo CA | Chapters/Indigo

About the Author:

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou.
​
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio:  “We recently adopted our thirteen-year-old cats, Layla and Leelou, when their original owner passed away. They were at risk of being surrendered to the Humane Society, and considering their age, we were afraid no one would adopt them together. Or at all.
When we took them to the vet to get some shots, we discovered that Leelou really, really doesn’t like going to the vet. My sweet, gentle senior citizen turned into a screaming, hissing Tasmanian devil. A tech had to be called in to hold the cat down while the vet tried to examine her. Leelou made some unearthly sounds that I didn’t know she, or any other cat, was capable of. Next time I have to take her to the vet, there’s going to be tranquilizers involved, for both of us!”

Social Media Links:
Website:  http://www.janarichards.com
Blog:  http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155

Welcome to the JL Buck mystery blog!
T​oday we're turning the blog over to guest author Janet Raye Stevens for her tips on writing novels that involve time travel.
Good morning, Janet! Take it away…

JRS:  Thanks, I’m happy to be here talking about the pitfalls to avoid.

So, you’ve time traveled to the past via time machine or some kind of magical stones and now find yourself back in time. What happens next? As you navigate a strange new era and place, you’ll meet all kinds of interesting people and see wonders of the ancient world (or not-so-ancient world, depending on how far back you’ve travelled), but there’s also a ton of risks to taking a jaunt through time.
 
If you don’t want to commit a temporal faux pas right out of the gate, follow my advice and adhere to these top 5 rules of time travel:
 
1. Don’t kill your own grandpa. I know that sounds silly, but the way fate and destiny work in the time travel business, chances are good you’ll run into an ancestor who’s pretty important to the future, particularly yours. So, if you don’t want to wink yourself out of existence, keep sharp and don’t accidentally drop an anvil on Grandpa’s head.
 
2. Don’t change a famous person’s destiny. If chances are high you’ll run into your own grandpa in your trip to the past, the odds are even better you’ll hobnob with a famous person. Like, 100%. Fate and temporal destiny won’t toss you into the path of an ordinary person. You’ll more likely end up hanging out with Elvis the day he cuts his first demo record or Queen Victoria when she’s deciding which of the many princes vying for her hand she’s going to marry. Don’t make Elvis late to the recording studio, and don’t advise Victoria to choose that hottie from Lichtenstein instead of stuffy old Prince Albert.
 
3. You cannot change fixed points in time. Every time traveler finds that out the hard way when they attempt to fix what once went wrong, only to screw it up royally. For instance, if you decide to tweak the Titanic’s course settings, thinking you’ll save everyone on board, you will inevitably discover the ship was going to miss the iceberg all along—until you steered it on a collision course. So, don’t. Just don’t.
 
4. Don’t create a paradox. I’m not sure what a paradox even is, but all the time travel experts say it’s very, very bad. For every Back to the Future paradox, where Marty McFly’s bumbling around in 1955 actually changes his family’s timeline for the better, there’s a hundred killing your own grandpa screw ups. So, take my advice and keep the paradox creating to a minimum.
 
5. Don’t fall in love. Well, actually, maybe do. Because that’s what happens to Beryl Blue when she visits 1943. Her time with Sully is brief, but life changing. A romance with someone from the past might be the ultimate long-distance relationship, but that’s one risk Beryl decides she has to take.
 
Follow these golden rules next time you vacation in time and you’re good to (time) travel!

​About the Author:
 
Meet award-winning author Janet Raye Stevens – mom, reader, tea-drinker (okay, tea guzzler), and weaver of smart, stealthily romantic tales.
 
A Derringer Award and Silver Falchion Award finalist, Janet’s work has been recognized multiple times, including winning the Daphne du Maurier award for the WWII-set paranormal A Moment After Dark and RWA’s Golden Heart® award for the holiday romance Cole for Christmas. Janet writes historical mystery, time travel, paranormal, and the occasional Christmas romance with humor, heart, and a dash of suspense.
 
She lives in Massachusetts with her handsome better half and their equally impressive children.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in my regular bio: I had the singular pleasure of meeting the Three Stooges when I was six, and was presented to the Queen of Bhutan much, much later. The Queen wore a gorgeous gown of colorful Bhutanese textiles; the Stooges wore goofy grins and costumes smeared with pie from their antics performing at the Shrine Circus.

Author Links:
JRS Website: https://janetrayestevens.com/
JRS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetrayestevens/
JRS BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/janet-raye-stevens
JRS Linktree: https://linktr.ee/janetrayestevens
JRS Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j9d9u0

Beryl Blue, Time Cop – Book I Beryl Blue’s Adventures in Time
 
Her mission: save the soldier, save the future. Even if she loses her heart.
 
Somewhere in Time meets Terminator as feisty librarian Beryl Blue is hurled from 2015 to WWII, tasked with stopping a time traveling assassin from killing a soldier on leave and changing history forever.
 
Dealing with the bad guy’s easy compared to the trouble his target puts Beryl through. She’s stunned to find herself falling for the sexy, stubborn Army sergeant Tom “Sully” Sullivan, who makes it abundantly clear he can take care of himself.
 
With an assassin on their heels and all of history on her shoulders, Beryl scrambles to figure out how to protect a man who refuses to be protected—and keep her heart intact.
 
Beryl Blue, Time Cop Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/md1DJw

About the Author:
 
Linda C. Wisniewski is a former librarian and journalist. Her work has been published widely in literary magazines and anthologies, and on her blog, www.lindawis.com. She is also the author of a memoir, Off Kilter: A Woman’s Journey to Peace with Scoliosis, Her Mother and Her Polish Heritage. Linda lives with her husband in Bucks County, PA.
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website http://www.lindawis.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LindaWis46
Twitter https://twitter.com/Lindawis
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lindacwisniewski/
Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-wisniewski-1bba29242/​

Film Crews and Rendezous (Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries #2)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Hollywood has come to Fern Valley, and the one stoplight town may never be the same. Everyone wants to get in on the act.
 
The crew from the wildly popular, fan favorite, Fatal Impressions, takes over Jules Keene’s glamping resort, and they bring a lot of offscreen drama and baggage that doesn’t include the scads of costumes, props, and crowds that descend on the bucolic resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Added security, hundreds of calls from hopeful extras, and some demanding divas keep Jules’s team hopping.
 
When the show’s prickly head writer ends up dead under the L. Frank Baum tiny house in what looks like a staged murder scene with a kitschy homage to the Wizard of Oz, Jules has to figure out who would want the writer dead. Then while they are still reeling from the first murder, the popular publicist gets lost after a long night at the local honky-tonk and winds up strangled. Jules needs to solve both crimes before filming is canceled, and her business is ruined.

​Book Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685122000
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHLSYBZ9?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420
Barnes and Noble: Film Crews and Rendezvous: A Jules Keene Glamping Mystery by Heather Weidner, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Booshop.org: https://bookshop.org/shop/heatherweidner
Fantastic Fiction: Film Crews and Rendezvous (Jules Keene Glamping Mystery, book 2) by Heather Weidner (fantasticfiction.com)
Scribd: Film Crews and Rendezvous by Heather Weidner - Ebook | Scribd

Meet the Auhor:
Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. Vintage Trailers and Blackmailers is the first in her cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries. She also writes the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series set in Virginia. Her Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries debut in 2023.
Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series.
Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
 
Social Media Links
Website and Blog: http://www.heatherweidner.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherWeidner1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherWeidnerAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_mystery_writer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8121854.Heather_Weidner
Amazon Authors: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HOYR0MQ
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HeatherBWeidner/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-weidner-0064b233?trk=hp-identity-name
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-weidner-d6430278-c5c9-4b10-b911-340828fc7003
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heather_weidner_author?lang=en

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.
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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.”