I’m worried about my sister, Nikki. Her catering business, Catered Capers, has been growing in success. She considered taking on a partner, Drew Pierson, but that didn’t work out. She didn’t exactly tell me why which is unusual. We tell each other everything. Anyway, Drew now opened his own catering business in direct competition–Portable Edibles–and Nikki’s business has declined. Why? He’s going after her clients! Nikki is going to be giving the public a taste of her food at a wedding expo that’s coming up soon. Maybe she can find new clients there.
Uncle Dom is still living at Mom and Dad’s and interviewing for a new job. I think he needs to find out what he really wants to do and put his heart into. He’s really great with my animals. I wonder if he’d consider pet sitting?
A family dinner is coming up next weekend. Grant will be going with me. He’s always fit right in with my family, ever since he went to law school with my brother Vince. But now Grant and I fit together well too. I’m even starting to have wedding bells dreams. Can that be possible? Is he really ready to move on from his tragedy and his first marriage? I’m so hopeful.
I staged Bella’s house and I hope it sells quickly. She and Joe need a new place since their family has grown with little Benny. Her online kids costume-making business is really taking off and she needs room for that too. She’s still working at my best friend’s Roz Winslow’s dress shop. But maybe soon she can just concentrate on costumes and christening outfits. And speaking of Roz… She and Vince seem to be headed into deeper relationship waters. Fingers crossed for them.
Nana is enjoying her kitten Valentine. When I get stumped either on staging a house or in my personal life, she always gives me good advice. I hope I can do that for my grandchildren some day.
The oven timer just binged! Nikki has given me her carrot cake recipe to try. She’s thinking about giving samples of it at the Expo. It smells wonderful. Now let’s see how it tastes.
Silence of the Lamps is the fifth book in the Caprice De Luca mystery series, published by Kensington, April 2016.
Caprice’s house staging is disrupted by Drew Pierson, a caterer who opened Portable Edibles, a business in direct competition with her sister Nikki’s Catered Capers. Nikki turned down Drew as a possible partner and he seems determined to undermine and bury her. However his successful launch of a deal for his blackberry barbecue sauce must have stirred up his enemies. When Nikki visits the house where Drew lives with his grandmother to resolve differences, she and Caprice find him dead–murdered with the base of a valuable Tiffany lamp.
Caprice discovers clues about Drew’s sly business dealings–from stealing recipes from another chef, to friends who hold grudges, to a sister who will now inherit half of her grandmother’s estate since Drew is dead. In the midst of her own romantic relationship upheaval, helping her uncle set up his pet sitting-business, assisting a friend care for a pregnant stray cat, Caprice follows the suspect trail, inadvertently putting herself in danger once more.
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About the author
USA Today Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith’s 95th novel will be released in 2016! Her passion is caring for her four rescued cats. Her hobbies are gardening, cooking and photography. An only child, Karen delved into books at an early age. Even though she escaped into story worlds, she had many cousins around her on weekends. Families are a strong theme in her novels in both her mysteries and romances. Find out more about Karen at karenrosesmith.com and at karenrosesmithmysteries.com. She’s recently working on her Caprice De Luca Home Staging mystery series as well as her Daisy Tea Garden mystery series and her Search For Love series. If you’d like to chat with her, you can find her on Facebook at KarenRoseSmithBooks and on Twitter @karenrosesmith.
Giveaway: Leave comment below for your chance to win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card. The giveaway will end April 29, 2016 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
I have really enjoyed this series!
Thanks for stopping by!
I know that I will like this series as one of the jobs that I wish that I had was as a home staged. Now that I watch all of the shows on HGTV etc and see the homes being staged, I just know that would have been something that of souls have loved. I must get this book. Sounds great.
I hipe you enjoy it!
The Plot sounds great and thank you for the starbucks contest. I have the book on a long list to buy at some point.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
I really have to catch-up with this series.
Have fun with the catch up!
Thank you, Dru, for having me here today. I always enjoy writing this post!
Thank you for letting Caprice stop by for a few words.
I’ve read and really enjoyed a few books in this series and have a few waiting. Looking forward to reading this book as well. Thankyou for the giveaway!
Sounds interesting! Thanks Dru for another good recommendation! Thanks Karen for today’s contest.
Enjoy this staging series immensely! Not run of the mill characters or experiences!
Thank you!
Sounds like a great series that I’ve somehow missed. My wish list just got longer!
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
I just finished reading an ARC of this book … it’s a really good read. Thank you for this giveaway.
Boy, that is a lot of action!
This sounds like a FUN read!
wfnren at aol dot com
Karen Rose Smith is not just a great cozy mystery writer but a wonderful cat humanitarian. Caprice De Luca is also a humanitarian for all animals in addition to being a home stager. She also has a nose for solving murders. Thanks for the chance to enter your giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com
I always enjoy reading this series.
A enjoyable and lovely feature and giveaway. Thanks.
Great series!
I must be hungry—now you have me thinking about carrot cake. How about sharing the recipe? Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
The recipe is included in SILENCE OF THE LAMPS.
I’ve heard so much about this one that I can’t wait to get it. I’ve loved this series from the beginning.
I love this series. And I love carrot cake, too!
Sounds like a great read.
I love this series, the interaction between the characters is great. A tiffany lamp as a murder weapon, what a waste of a beautiful lamp. 🙂
I really want to read this book. We had our house staged when we put it on the market and it really helped. Great to see this in a cozy.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Totally intriguing title! The book’s going on my “to purchase” list.
I haven’t read this series yet, but plan to do so in the near future. Great interview and review.
Sounds fabulous! I look forward to reading it.
Read the first 2 books in series and really enjoy Karens writing, hope to win and get the book I missed, ty for the chance
Thank you all for your enthusiasm!
I can hardly wait! Except for the murder, looks like things are going the right direction for all my friends. When I first met Drew, I had such hopes but I am glad he reveals his true colors before Nikki got too attached. I have been promoting your recent sales with all my friends, I think everyone should get to know the de Luca family and friends.
I love this series.
I love the title! Can’t wait to find out what happens in this mystery.
murder is part of zies…and it works..lol thanks for the chance
Starbucks? Gift card? Yes, please!!
Hard to believe book 5 in a fun series.I enjoy books where families are important.
Sounds like a great cozy. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love the story involving family and the cover art. Story sounds interesting and the characters. To me this is a new author and cozy. Excited to read.
Wow, looks like a great cozy mystery.
Sounds fun as always! Thanks!
I need to schedule binge-reading of this series…..
Thank you for the giveaway….
Sounds like a good series. I love Starbucks.