Gabby Mancusi is a sleuth in the “Italian Chef” mysteries. One of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions. So, let’s get to know Gabby.

What is your full name?
Gabriella Valentina Mancusi, but everyone calls me Gabby.

How old are you?
I’m 30 years old.

What is your profession?
I own Once Upon a Book. It’s Harvest Park’s most elite bookstore. Okay, it’s the town’s only bookstore.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, my boyfriend.

What is their name and profession?
Louis Sawyer. He’s a police officer.

Do you have any children?
No, but my brother says that I act like a child sometimes.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes, my older brother Gino. He’s a police detective.

Are your parents nearby?
My mother Mona lives in Harvest Park but she and my father divorced many years ago. He’s remarried and lives in California with his new wife.

Who is your best friend?
My cousin, Tessa Esposito. She’s the sister I never had.

Do you have any pets?
Not me, but Tess has a tuxedo cat named Luigi. The little guy is pretty cute and he even helped us solve a murder once.

What town do you live in?
I’ve lived in Harvest Park my entire life. It’s located in Upstate New York, outside of Albany. Our most famous landmark is, of course, the park. In the fall, a gigantic apple festival is held there and it’s filled with all kinds of great food vendors and activities. During December the Festival of Lights takes place there. Cars drive through an amazing display of lighted up Christmas figurines depicted as snowmen, gingerbread houses and Santa Claus, just to name a few. But really, the park is gorgeous all year round.

Would you say you live in a small town or a big city?
Harvest Park is definitely a small town but it has a big grapevine, if you know what I mean.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I own a small ranch house. I need my bookstore to be a success financially or else I’ll have to move back in with my mother. I don’t think I could handle that.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
My porch swing! During the summer, I load it down with lots of comfy pillows and sit there on my day off and read. It’s pure heaven.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Probably Tessa’s lasagna or penne and her tiramisu. She’s a fantastic chef and is getting ready to open her own restaurant, Anything’s Pastable. If it wasn’t for her, I’d live off microwaveable food. Tess has had a rough year since her husband died and she’s worked hard to make the place a success. And I know it will be.

Do you have any hobbies?
I love to go to the movies or ride on the back of Lou’s motorcycle. It’s finally warm enough for that. Does browsing bookstore aisles count too?

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I’ve got a soft spot for Mickey Mouse, so it has to be Disney World.

What music do you listen to?
Classical. I play it in my bookstore.

Do you have a favorite book?
Ohhh, what a question! I have so many but it has to be something by Stephen King. Probably either Misery or The Shining. I even met him at a book signing once and put my arm around him (beams). I’m his number one fan!

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Besides reading, I love to hang out with Tess and watch old movies. Gone with the Wind is our favorite. Sometimes you just need to have a girls night, you know? But I love being with Lou as well.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Hmm. Maybe something to do with the last time Tess and I solved a murder. ** The Secret of the Tomato Sauce **. Does that sound too Nancy Drewish?

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I work with Tessa and we’re definitely amateurs. We’ve only solved one case–so far. But please don’t bring it up in front of my brother. His face turns beet red and his blood pressure rises whenever he hears that Tess and I have been sleuthing. I love him like crazy, but he needs to chill.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
My bookstore is open every day except for Sundays so of course that takes up a great deal of my time. I have one employee but she’s on vacation this week. Sales have been down since Christmas and things are getting a bit desperate. I was sure that my first major author signing last night would help. Let’s just say that things didn’t turn out quite the way I’d planned. After Tess found a body in the Mystery aisle this morning, it looks like we’ll be putting on our sleuthing hats again. . .

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win one (1) print copy of Penne Dreadful, the first book in the series, limited to U.S. residents. Giveaway ends August 2, 2020. Good luck everyone!

It Cannoli Be Murder is the second book in the “Italian Chef” cozy mystery series, released July 28, 2020.

It’s time to serve some just desserts. . .

Six months after her husband’s death, Tessa Esposito is hoping to drum up reservations for her restaurant’s grand opening. And since a signing with bestselling author, Preston Rigotta, is sure to draw a crowd, Tessa agrees to cater her cousin’s bookstore event—whipping up some of her famous Italian desserts. But the event soon takes a sour turn when Preston’s publicist, an old high school rival, arrives and begins to whisk up their old grudges.

That night, a fight breaks out in front of the crowd, and it becomes clear there’s bad blood in Harvest Park. And when the publicist is found dead on the bookstore floor the next morning, a stray cannolo at her side, Tessa knows who will be framed as the prime suspect.

To clear both her cousin’s and her own name, Tessa must investigate the murder. But Preston’s publicist has many secrets to hide, and in the end, the truth is bittersweet. . .

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About the author
USA Today Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns lives in Upstate New York with her very patient husband, three sons, and several spoiled pets. She is the author of over 15 novels and four series, including: the Italian Chef, Cookies & Chance, Cindy York and Aloha Lagoon Mysteries. Her book, For Sale by Killer, won the 2019 Daphne du Maurier award for Mainstream Mystery/Suspense. Get a free Cookies & Chance ebook when you sign up for Catherine’s newsletter here. Visit her website at catherinebruns.net, or visit on Facebook, or on Twitter.

All comments are welcomed.