Hi everyone. You’ve caught me just in time. I’m almost out the door going to a client meeting. I’m planning a 50th reunion for the 1967 graduating class of Madison High School, to take place next August. That’s what I do – plan events. I work for Make It Happen and my college roommate, Skye Drake is my boss. It’s a long story how I went from college to an uptown ad agency in Montpelier to event planning in the picturesque village of Half Moon Bay, Vermont. I’ll save it for another time. Or better yet, read all about it in Toasting Up Trouble.
But that’s not all that’s happening in my life. My foodie friends and I make up the Culinary Capers dinner club, meeting once a month to wine and dine on recipes we’ve prepared from a cookbook that’s chosen by the host. Coming up is my turn and the book I’ve chosen is Nigellisima by of course, Nigella Lawson. I’m trying to get some tips on substitute ingredients and pairing flavors, so later, I’m off to see my new best friend, Rocco Gates, owner of Rocco G’s, a classy bistro and olive oil bar. It also helps that he’s Italian.
I’ll also have to start planning for a teachers’ conference coming up next summer, a new account that Skye just handed me. That will be the first one I’m doing so I want to get it right.
Did I mention the body?
How could I forget? It happened at the end of the Italian Princess Birthday party I put together. It was a big hit with the birthday girl and her dad but, this led to that, a verbal battle ensued, and now I’ve been asked to stop by the police station to go over my statement, one more time. Am I worried? In a word, yes! We may have to come up with more than recipes and very soon.
Toasting Up Trouble is the first book in the NEW Dinner Club mystery series, published by Penguin Random House, July 2016.
A delicious new cozy mystery series featuring the Culinary Capers Dinner Club—who are fearless when it comes to cooking up new dishes and putting the lid on crime. . .
Event planner Jennifer “J.J.” Tanner has a full plate, but that’s the way she likes it. First, it’s her turn to choose the recipe for the next meeting of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club, a gathering of foodie friends who experiment with entrées for their creative and gastronomical pleasure. Second, she’s organizing an Italian princess party for the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a high-tech millionaire.
But one thing J.J. didn’t plan on is that the caterer for the event—hotshot chef Antonio Marcotti—would end up murdered the night of the party. Or that she’d end up being a prime suspect after having had a heated argument with the unscrupulous chef. Now it’s up to J.J.—with help from her fellow Club members and a handsome if mysterious private eye—to turn the tables on the real killer. . .
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About the author
Linda Wiken is usually found by her alias, Erika Chase, and writing the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries. But now, with the release of Toasting Up Trouble, the first in the Dinner Club Mysteries, she’s back to being her real self. A former mystery bookstore owner, she has been short-listed for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies’ Killing Circle and can be found contributing to the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, and Killer Characters blogs. She admits to a passion for choral singing, chocolate and Siamese cats! www.lindawiken.com
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Toasting Up Trouble. US entries only, please. The giveaway will end July 11, 2016 at 12 AM (midnight) EST. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
What a beautiful cover on this new book! I love, love, love all of Erika Chase books and just know I will love, love, love this new book by her as Linda Wiken too! Sounds like a really exciting book. I just attended my 45th high school reunion last October so this is going to be so much fun reading about a 50th reunion and all the other events that are planned. Thanks so much dear Dru and Linda for the chance to win a copy of this new book!!! God bless you girls!!! You both ROCK!!!!!
This book looks good! I’d love to win it and read it. Thanks very much for this chance!
Now isn’t that a koinky dink. I also went to a James Madison H.S. Only mine was here in Brooklyn, NY. LOL I wonder if J.J.’s school had famous people like mine did. Carol (Klein) King, Chuck Schumer, Judge Judy, Justice Bader-Ginsburg being just a few.
Wow awesome sounding book 👍 love the cover its very beautiful colors 💟 Thank you for the chance to win 🙂
Sounds like a good new series. The book cover is gorgeous. Thanks for a chance to enter.
Food cozies – always a winner in my book!
My husband and my 50th class reunion comes up in 2018. I hope they have better activities than they planned for the 40th. But in the meantime, I look forward to reading Toasted up for Trouble.
If I win, this will be the first Linda Wiken book I have read.
This series sounds so cute that it’s bound to be terrific.
I like the idea of a dinner club series!
Love this book! Right to the top of my TBR list. Being of an age with J.J. Tanner I think I could identify with her character.
Wonderful blog today thanks, this sounds very good.
Penney
love the cover- you are a new author to me — like reading cozy mysteries- this looks good- would be grand if i won it- thanks for the opport- GL everyone
I have done some event planning in the past-but never ended up with a body, thank heavens! Can’t wait to read this, Dru. Thanks for today’s introduction. Thanks Linda/Erika for the chance to win a copy! I am sure you have another hit series. 🙂
Can’t wait to start this new series by a favorite author. Thanks for the chance to win.
I love foodie cozies and this one sounds great, thanks for the chance to win. BTW love the cover 🙂
Sounds like a great read.
Thank you Dru Ann for including Toasting Up Trouble on your blog. It sounds like a really good book. My fingers are crossed for the chance to win a copy of this book. robeader53@yahoo.com
A captivating cozy which I would love. Thanks.
Oh, another foodie cozy – love it! Thanks for the chance to win.
Love the cover! Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book.
wfnren at aol dot com
I would love to win a copy of Linda’s new book! Thanks for the giveaway!
Sounds like another good read
Looking forward to reading the first in a new series.
I am looking forward to this new series! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Planning events sounds stressful, but fun. Being part of a dinner club sounds like great fun too, finding dead bodies…not so much!
“A delicious new cozy mystery series”. Can’t make this mystery sound any better. Looking forward to a new read.
What a fun intro to the new book! I like the idea of choosing a different cookbook every month. Thanks for the chance to win!
Sounds like a fun new series, thank you for sharing and the chance to win
“Toasting Up Trouble” sounds like a great summer read. Definitely adding to my TBR list. Can’t wait to read.
Toasting Up Trouble sounds wonderful. Thank you for this chance.
This would be a great book to add to my cozy challenge list. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
The Review sounds really interesting almost like a contemporary gothic…thank you for the contest and please enter me.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Yet another book to add to my to-be-read list!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Sounds like a good book! I love to find new series too!
A new take on Goldie Bear – sounds like fun
love finding new-to-me authors/series. This one definitely catches my attention. thank you!
This sure sounds like a good book!
Loving the cover!!!!
A definite add to my WishList…..Thank you for the giveaway…
This book giveaway sounds like a good mystery to read, so I would love to win it. Thanks.
Being an event planner seems like JJ would really be busy. There is so much to do. Looks like a great read with a new author/book. Thanks for a nice post and a chance to get the book sooner