A Holland Reads: A Story to Kill by Lynn Cahoon - Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Published: August 30, 2016

Number of pages: 320

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Cat Latimer Mystery #1

Synopsis:

Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers’ retreats in the big blue Victorian she’s inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband! Now it’s an authors’ getaway—but Cat won’t let anyone get away with murder…

The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn’t know why he came all the way from New York, but she’s glad to have him among the quirkier—and far less famous—attendees.

Cat’s high school sweetheart Seth, who’s fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat…some of them a little overpowering. But it’s her uncle, the local police chief, whom she’ll call for help when there’s a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?

What did I think of this book:

I was so excited to start a new cozy series. What can be better than that right? This book has a lot of things I like - cozy town, bed and breakfast, mystery and whole lot more. For me this was a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to getting to know Cat, Seth, Shauna and all the characters. Another thing I liked about this book is that there are two mysteries going on at once. We have the murder that Cat is trying to solve as well as the mystery of her failed marriage. Once you start reading this then you will understand what I mean. The author did a good job of keeping me guessing who the killer was right up until the end of the book. If you are looking for a fun new mystery series I say give this one a chance.

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and two fur babies.

Author Links

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon
Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor
Website – http://lynncahoon.com/
Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Purchase Links
Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Guest Post:

Today I was part of a reader’s event to raise money for Reeling and Healing, a breast cancer charity. As I talked to the readers who’d come out on a rainy Sunday to talk with authors, I told stories. Sometimes the same story – we did a speed dating event where we got to talk to a different table of readers, every ten minutes.

The time flew by. I’d just get comfortable and the last question would come in that would need a huge answer and the organizers would call time. By the end of the afternoon, I was beat. Worn out, too many people, too much talking, beat.

Yes, I am an introvert. But what today’s event reminded me of was how much I love my fans, virtual and in person. Talking books with someone is like our own language. Even if our favorite genres are different, we can find common ground in the way authors craft their words. Or in the setting. Or the subject matter.

Books bring us together as a community and really, it doesn’t matter if you’re an e-reader, print, or audio fan. That’s the delivery medium. What matters is the story. And that’s the amazing thing about our world today. You can get your story fix in a lot of different ways. I have people who work with me who watch television on their phones or listen to books as they work.

I admit, when I want to focus on a project, I’ll put in my earphones and listen to a workshop on writing. I may have heard it several times, but it gives me a cocoon feeling and I’m much more productive while I’m not distracted.

In A Story to Kill - Cat Latimer hosts her first writer’s retreat. I’ve been a hold out on attending a writer’s retreat mostly because I didn’t think the time invested would be worth the time I’d actually get to write. When I went to Chicago this May, I found out I had been wrong. Because I was away from my normal routine and setting, I focused on the work-in-progress. By the time I got home from that trip, even with a four-hour panel and author/reader meet and greet, I had 10,000 words. In two days.

It’s that kind of word count that makes writer’s retreats popular. And I hope, even with a murder or two added in, will make reading the Cat Latimer series a hit with readers. Because we all want to know the secrets hiding behind our favorite authors process.

So, what one question would you ask your favorite author if you met them in person?

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway